Crimson Tree
by Noonz
Summary: An unexpected turn of events revolving around a certain monarch and her acquaintance. Love interests and random references. Blood drawing and axe-swinging. The princess and the vampire. The first 3 chapters are more of a prologue but essential either way.
1. Chapter 1

_**Crimson Tree - Part I**_

A once-red apple slowly falls on the grass surrounding the apple tree, grey and literally life-less with two punctured holes on its exterior. The fangs that made the little holes belonged to a lady. Pleased at her little creation, she continued to wander through the orchard. The sun had nearly set, and little beams of light still penetrated the leaves of branching trees here and there.

Returning to the same tree that was picked from earlier, the lady once more sunk her fangs and yet another apple was victimized to a grey discoloring. Satisfied for the night, she disappears into the new-born shimmer of moonlight.

* * *

><p>The Princess winced as the door to her chamber struck with little knocks for the second time that morning. She had ignored the first calling in an attempt to fall back into the pretension that she could sleep a bit more, but, a monarch's duty does not give way to this meek pleasure.<p>

"Princess, are you well? May I come in?" piped Peppermint Butler from outside the door, fretting but a second away from calling the royal nurse. "No, thank you Peppermint, I was just hoping I could lie in for a while longer", the young girl replies staggering across the sun-lit floor, squinting as she adjusts to the sudden amount of light piercing her eyes, "Of course you can come in".

Entering the room, Peppermint Butler walks as quick as his feet take him, placing a clamp of papers on a nearby table. Turning to face the Princess, he obliges "but my dear-

"Yes, I know Peppermint, a monarch's work is never quite finished", interrupted the Princess, sighing as she ventured towards her wash-room. Smiling to himself the butler adds, "I only wished to inform you that a rather strange finding is at the apple orchard in the royal gardens, would you like to look into it and keep the paperwork for later?" Her eyes widen a little, she never really had to tend to unusual things this often, grinning from cheek to cheek, Princess Bubblegum of Candy Kingdom assents, "a stroll in the garden should do well to settle my mind".

Bustling off to collect the envelopes that were to be sent by runners at present, the butler returned to the Princess' dorm within an hour. She looked as magnificent as always; long dress robes, light pink hair that held its place in a bun and perfect posture. Resting upon her head was a round tiara. A single gem rested on the topper part in the center of the crown, it stood on a long elongation of gold.

It was the kindness in the Princess' heart and the love for her people, that made the kingdom prosper. It was the same love, that every citizen and stranger returned upon living in the Candy Kingdom. Her happiness was their happiness, her sickness was their suffering and her pain was the suicidal attempts of them all.

"Oh Peppermint, I don't need guards to go to an orchard!" Protests Bubblegum. "Besides, you, I and breakfast should be good enough to protect those apples" jokingly she adds. The butler could not help but smile, though he still insisted on guards as the particular apple orchards were located further from the royal palaces' main buildings. The trees having grown in an area closer to a forest than to the palace grounds and other orchards, after the Great Mushroom War many centuries back.

"Have the invites been sent? Peppermint I do feel so nervous, such a meeting hasn't happened in decades since the war, and I won't be knowing of many of the royals that are to be here", the young monarch let out. "You'll be just fine my lady and the night shall do well for our connections in other regions", the butler added, "I've sent out the invites and all is being prepared, let's attend to this matter now, your majesty".

With guards marching at a distance on either side and Peppermint in a suit and bowtie shuffling along with a basket next to her, Bubblegum made her way through the golden orchard gates. Upon entering she pondered aloud, "where's the caretaker? Please take me to the location of the finding". A certain aura of detective had settle about her mind, taking the place of royal monarch or dainty young lady.

"The caretaker is just beyond the 12th tree, your highness. He holds what we've been informed to be a form of disease that's spread to the apples around a certain tree", answered one of the guards. "Hmm, interesting", Bubblegum declared as she turns to Peppermint Butler, "breakfast will have to wait; I wish to examine the apples right away". If she'd had a pair of goggles or lab wear, she'd have whipped them out to wear just to suit the scene – add a more professional look, but neither were present, so she settled for a determined gaze. The one that usually made her attendees a_ little _nervous.

Clearing his throat one of the guards steps forward, carefully turning and showing an object within his right hand.

"Your majesty, this is what they appear to look like, this has been sent as a sample, more are at the tree itself". Reaching out and picking up the greyed out fruit between her thumb and index finger, the princess proceeds to poke and smell it. Being the alchemist she is, her ordinary curiosity cannot help but hold itself as a naturally red fruit is placed before her, as one that is rather oddly changed.

No one spoke for the rest of the walk to the tree; the monarch was left to drown in her own thoughts of coloured fruits. Within the passing of the 11th tree, they came upon a frustrated little candy man collecting grey apples and shoving them into a basket, which he'd named "infected losses".

Princess Bubblegum bent down and picked up another apple. Her eyes widened as she placed her fingers over two little hollows in the side of the apple. All at once, her still widened eyes caught onto the aforementioned apple in her other hand, which she realized: had similar dips. "Your highness, I'm so glad you're here!" Fumbling at his apron, the caretaker had spoken up, with a tinge of embarrassment of having not noticed his Princess' presence. The princess on the other hand took no notice to small things like forgetting your monarch was right in front of you, though Duke Lemongrab would've placed you a good week in the dungeons for said deed; her heart was loving in every way towards her people. Nodding in assent, she placed herself at the bottom of the tree.

She attended to all her paperwork, from a table that had been set-up right next to the tree that day. At near sun-set, only but two guards were positioned with her as she decided to spend the night at the orchard, despite Peppermints strenuous arguments. Neither war nor battles had ever taken place within the kingdom; guards were actually of no necessity. So what would be wrong with satisfying a little curiosity by staying over at the scene of the "crime"? So many things.

The Princess stood with her back to the tree - expectant. She kept her eyes open, as much as sleep called upon her at a time so early in the night. She waited, watched for movement. Though her subjects remained convinced that the strange pits were worm holes, Bubblegum knew that no worm could make incisions, as shaped and perfect as these...

"What are you doing at my tree, sweet cheeks?" a lady with a large mane of hair and sharp eyes, hissed into Bubblegum's ears. The guards had been too slow to notice, the princess had iced up in her place and moonlight showed them all, in the hand of a smirking stranger: a bright, red apple.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Crimson Tree – Part II**_

A sudden flash of movement and the stranger appeared in front of the princess and the guards, close at her sides. Weapons wielded, ready to battle and yet even she could see the side of power; the other lady, was much too fast. Who knew what power was horded with such speed?

"Who are you? Why are you here at the royal orchards?" demanded Bubblegum, trying to conceal her shock. Her hands at her hips, leaning forward as if she were to leap, though, her dress clearly discouraged it.

"_You_ must be the princess; I just never quite re-called you being _this_ rude. I have business here," moving her hand slowly from her side, to the handle of a large axe, the stranger replied, " and your guards better lower their weapons now." She avoided both questions.

Bubblegum had not noticed the axe sheathed at the lady's back earlier, and now the threat, had become all the more eminent.

The moment the enemy's fingers brushed against the handle, fearing the worst- the first guard lashed out swinging his katana at full force straight at her arm. The other guard stood firm; defending the princess. Easily moving to a side, avoiding the blow, the lady swept up into the air. A great axe started plunging head first to the neck of a slow moving guard, whose only physical activity tonight: was getting beheaded. Marceline had no intent of killing the candy man. She merely wished to maim him for not awaiting orders from his princess. Then again, her axe was quite provocative. Dropping the ripe apple she picked up earlier with a small thud on the ground, she pushed herself up into the air, bringing out the axe with an easy tug and sent it hurling down with her ease.

"_Kshhhh_," she hissed through her teeth, her battle cry had sounded. The poor candy man but seconds away from needing militia treatment.

"No!"

Marceline flicked her eyes to find them on those of the Princess. The monarch's face was contorted with horror, as she realized what awaited the fate of the man before her. Suddenly, Marceline felt her stomach cringe. Worry, maybe guilt, hued itself at her shoulder muscles, and all at once her goal changed.

Dropping to the ground once more, she swung her axe's middle at one guard, then the other- they both dropped to the floor; unconscious from the blows they received, but not injured.

"If you are to take their lives, I rather you take _mine_ first. W-what is your purpose here?" the princess finally blurted. She was still confused as to why; her dear guards weren't dead as expected of moments before.

Marceline stood for a while – quiet - staring at the princess. A moment of silence reeked between the two souls. She finally answered, "There is no need for that." Turning her gaze to the tree she'd plundered just last night, she added on, "this tree belongs to me but since it has caused you 'issues' "- plucking an apple she continued, "I'm not gonna hang around here too long. Though, I do suggest finding a proper body guard and getting your walking peppermint there some water". Marceline leapt off into the sky, draining her new apple of color, looking back just once, to see Princess Bubblegum's questioning face.

Still stunned at mind, Bubblegum turned to see her butler lying on the floor at her feet. He'd fainted as soon as the potential battle began and had soiled his bowtie.

* * *

><p>The guards had woken moments later feeling only sore where the axe middle had struck them. Embarrassed at how quick they were taken down despite being <em>royal guards<em>. They were sworn to secrecy along with the caretaker, by the princess herself. Though the caretaker had seen nothing of what they witnessed, he still had questionable apples at hand and those could easily be spread to other citizens.

The monarch didn't want to alarm her people of 'infected' fruits; neither did she want them to fear an unknown, axe-carrying woman.

"Peppermint, don't let anyone near the apple orchard for now. I want to rest, we'll discuss this tomorrow," Bubblegum concluded as she reached her chamber. Stripping down, she reached for the nightdress within her wardrobe.

"I do hope you've recovered from _before_".

Peppermint tuned a little red at whichever white stripes encircled him, "Yes, your majesty, I have. As you wish." He was no guard, but being right be the princess' side, didn't include a "swooned state". Lifting a finger up he declared, "I shall get to checking if the runners have reported back, the conference and ball is within a few days. Good night". As the butler closed the door, he said a silent prayer, hoping he would never again see that fiendish demon lady nor faint at the impact of her glare. Shuffling through the corridor towards the winding stairs at the end of it, Peppermint the butler trudged on to complete his final night duties.

_She was floating._ The princess realized as she stood at her window, letting the cool night breeze tickle its way across her neck and hair. The woman with the axe was floating. Not just inches - whole feet up in the air. With a clatter, the shutters to her open balcony window, hit against the window sill, startling the princess. Bubblegum immediately imagined the lady from before swooping into her room- shuddering – she shut the windows and crept into her bed. "She had fangs…" muttered Bubblegum. She hadn't missed a chance to see them protruding from the intruder's mouth as she smirked.

Once more stepping out of bed, the princess took a seat at her writing table. Pushing aside the various 'rendezvous to attending the royal conference of Ooo', she set about drawing anything she remembered of the aforesaid being.

Black hair, longer than the princess' reaching her feet. Light grey skin. A large axe that reached her shoulders. Her attire: boots, tight fitting pantaloons and but the top of maiden's dresses as she'd seen in documentaries of "_the wild west_". And last but not least, _two white fangs_. The princess was no artist but the drawing proved fairly accurate. Sure that she shouldn't let anyone see it, especially not Peppermint who went through her files and personal cupboards as he cleaned, she searched for a place to hide it.

She would not throw it for fear of forgetting the personage, though she doubted she would. She needed to know who this lady was. She needed to know why she wanted to see her again. Folding the paper over and over - she placed the paper deep within her bosom. Was a sort of attraction upon the first sighting of a soul even possible? Especially when it comes not as prince at a ball, but as woman with a weapon? The princess did not know, nor understand.

Laying down on her bed, pulling the covers up close to her neck, Princess Bubblegum went to sleep with the feeling of a threat closer to her heart than ever.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: **__A bit different to the rest of the story._

_**Crimson Tree – Part III**_

The princess awoke the next morning, both tired and restless. She had fallen asleep almost immediately, yet she awoke with a gushing rush of thoughts. Her hand reached up to the space above her night dress where the drawing rested, the light rustle of fabric being brushed over breaking the morning's serenity. She had not forgotten.

"All invites have been accepted by the invitees, save 3. We expect them tonight at the latest. I've left the newest reports from the east coast at your desk, your majesty." Peppermint butler walked over to the window shutters and threw them open, letting in a less-sieved form of sunlight into the chamber.

"I'll be with Lady Rainicorn and Princess Eliss in a moment, do tell them that I wish to see them at the garden house," said Bubblegum as she adjusted her tiara. "Though, Lady Rainicorn must refrain from altering the colours of any of the flowers there."

"Of course," Peppermint consented as he walked out of the chamber, leaving the princess to the privacy of her own thoughts.

The princess freshened up, and wore another from the selection of royal lace dresses, like she had yesterday. Carefully unfolding it, she took one last look at the drawing, taking in its features before she placed it within an old, dust-covered book on her shelf. No longer delaying her close companions, she set off to meet them at the garden house just beyond the palace courtyard. Taking her time to stop and watch the day staff at work as they said their various greetings to a beloved ruler, the monarch's mind still droned upon thoughts of her mysterious "guest".

* * *

><p>Lunch was had, the sun nearly set and all company, returned to the comfort of their own homes. "Peppermint, I need you to go and check on those guards… See if they're well. Please have the tailor finish my dress by midnight." Bubblegum then turned on her heel still feeling guilty for pretentiously making her butler occupied. Still with no regrets, she made her way through a familiar path that wound out of the castle - the path to the apple orchards.<p>

"Ah, your majesty! Good evening," saluted the guard nearest to the gate, as the princess nodded, returned the greeting and walked on to searching.

"Yes, here it is." Bubblegum had found the tree. _That_ woman's tree.

She heard a quick crackle above her, turning her head up she noticed a trifling black bat watching her through the numerous branches of the tree. Its eyes seemed to glow a deep red. The eyes were recognizable and for a moment the Princess found herself, searching for words to speak to this nocturnal creature. Not that she expected a reply, but the suspicion lingered as to this bat having a secret identity. And, simply - she thought it _might_ speak back.

Night was setting loose and curling its fingertips over the land of Ooo. The princess would soon be alone. Alone in the dark – as she forgot even a candle in her urgency to once more encounter the tree. Though her real wish for encounter, appeared not to be present.

_Should I say something? Yes, I should atlea-_

_Crack! _The red-eyed bat kicked off the branch it hung upon and flew off into the starry-eyed sky. As the princess watched, it seemed to smirk. A bat smirking? –Oh, how undeniably was she reminded of the strange lady. Placing her fingers on the recently-formed pits in the apple that had fallen at her feet as the bat took off – the princess uttered a single word, one that hadn't been mentioned in the Candy Kingdom since the times before the Mushroom War of old: "**V****ampire"**.

"Princess?" squeaked Peppermint as he watched his monarch slowly turn to face him. "Is everything alright? Why are you back at this wretched place?!"

Bubblegum replied with a nervous smile, still clutching the apple in her hand. "I am well Peppermint, I just... needed to investigate this scene once more," moving the apple from one hand to the other behind her back, the princess affirms "violence isn't that prominent in the Candy Kingdom – it bears interest to curiosity." She tried to maintain what she called her "serious look", the one that meant she was hiding nothing. She tried – and hoped.

Sufficed, but still worried, the butler walks the monarch back to her chamber. Silence drifts between them; as the girl watches the sky for dark figures and the candy man adjusts his new bowtie.

A vampire was in Ooo. Cause it trouble for her people or invade but one orchard; Bubblegum did not know. But what she was sure of… was that she needed to know more about _her. _She needed to make sure nothing 'strange' happened among or even, _to_her people. But most of all Princess Bubblegum needed to see the vampire again.


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N**_: _I believe this is where things in the story start building up. Hope you like it!_

_**Crimson Tree – Part IV**_

"It is an honour to meet you, Princess of Candy Land," the Queen of the Ice Kingdom said with an expression which showed mere interest in looking anywhere but at the princess. "Nice… Um, conference you have here." Bubblegum corrected her as politely as she could – in a way she didn't notice as correction, "And it is an honour to us of Candy _Kingdom_, to have you here with us."

Shifting her body from one angle to the next, the princess attended to every royal that entered the vast doors of the Caramel Halls. From corridor to curtain, the whole palace was placed under the merciless garb of decoration and the colours of celebration. Drapes of pink, red and yellow spun in infinite ribbons across halls, and archways of pure caramel shimmered atop the heads of passing royalty. Though this was merely a conference, the ball that was to be held after; was to be the first one seen by any form of Royalty from all the regions – in centuries. And to Princess Bubblegum - it _had_ to be perfect.

"Your majesty, your butler has asked for your presence at once in the royal kitchens," squeaked the candy cane man that stood before the princess, tilting his chef hat into position as he spoke. "He believes it necessary that you judge the taste of our latest fruit pies."

Smiling up at the striped chef the princess responded to the request, "Of course, Harold. Let us see what you've in store for me tonight". Things were, indeed going perfect.

Making her way through crowds of fancy attire and endless greetings, Bubblegum exited the hallways – leaving the welcoming of final guests to her cousin: Duke Lemongrab. Though he'd already gone about welcoming everyone; protocol of welcoming - passed onto him in the absence of the princess or not. Bowing and showing around royal guests as if it were his Glob-given right, both confidence and the non-existent feeling of power raging his lemony insides - till, the final guest appeared and his insides seemed to juice out. Thankfully, not literally.

Making her way through the iron entrance doors, smirking discretely with two protruding canines, a woman dressed in any clothing but fancy (save for the frills of her upper dress tunic) had arrived. Placing the slightly crumpled invite within the pedestal closest to Lemongrab's depositing arm, Marceline** floated** up.

"Ah!" the duke finally managed as he regained his senses and once more lost them; watching the lady fly over to one of the inner balconies of the Caramel halls dome shaped ceiling. _Good glob, what are you?! _Mused Lemongrab, as he searched around him to find not a soul had noticed the lady save him. And yet, the lady did not even flinch at his surprise. She merely watched him with her elbows resting on balcony railings and her hands propping up her chin, as if she were watching a play of natural events unfold. As if she was mocking the entire world before her.

The duke closed his eyes, opened them, lifted his gaze… and she was gone. Part of him wanted to find the invite that still lay on the pedestal, convince himself, she was real. Either way she was a guest, as difficult as staring into her deep crimson eyes seemed to promote that.

But now, she was gone and "_his_ royal subjects" awaited him. And maybe, Lemongrab would rather forget what he saw.

Marceline had given the walking lemon quite a shock. _Odd kingdom this is, all walking nourishment humans would love to bite into – lest the nourishment fought back, of course_. Walking the length of the circular balcony that encompassed the entirety of the domed hall, the vampire came to stop at a single arched window. It lay open to the moonlight that streamed in feathery little beams through its recently polished glass, Marceline sat before it with her back to the balcony railing – avoiding every monarch's chatty voice, save that of Princess Bubblegum.

The Princess had started a short, yet detailed welcoming speech as soon as she received word that all guest invites had been collected – everyone was present. The duke had winced as he told her the last guests had arrived, she did not know why, but the excitement of meeting new potential allies furthered her joy at knowing all had been gracious enough to come. The same feelings, she mentioned in her speech. Hands were kissed, political links made, gossip among the ladies – even some men too, trading of goods accepted and foreign customs learnt of.

Nothing could go wrong.

And here you, as a reader may think "_but wait, now something should go wrong since you've mentioned it"_, and so I prove you _partially_ right as the evening continues in decent chatter and the consumption of finely fermented wine and pies. Till, Bubblegum decides to take a gulp of air away from all the formalities, within the sanctity of her own chamber.

Excusing herself from the break-ups and make-ups babble by Princess Eliss of Lumpy Space, the princess made her way out the double doors and up a flight of stairs. Loosening her dress straps as she neared her chamber, sighing in happy relief as the night she planned for so long, neared a perfect end.

_Twang! _The musicians started their ball room number, bringing the attention of all to the formation of slow dancing couples at the centre of the room. Old monarchs as well as young ones, from the regions of fire, water and some from the land of Aaa, even. All gathered performing various forms of traditional slow dances from their lands – it may have seemed like quite an uneven hassle, but they all moved in time to the light change of tone. A kaleidoscopic pattern of dance was taking place in such harmony… the dance variations of each region, performed in complete perfection: was flawless. Beautiful.

Bubblegum stood at the centre of her room, her tiara on the floor, a ruffled paper clutched in her hands. She had seen her. That lady. The princess' eyes once more looked over the personal drawing of the vampire, as if she had not already gazed at it enough. Just before Bubblegum had stepped onto the speaking podium, she had caught a glimpse of raven-black hair at the left corner balcony. She could never forget what she had seen once, what she had been day dreaming of ever since, what her heart whispered denied longings for – to see _her_ again. Clutching the paper tight within her now fisted hand, the princess heaved another sigh as she once more tightened the lace on her dress' bodice area. She also creased the frills on her ball gown, carefully readjusting the straps on her footwear.

Still meddling with the laces, now at her bosom, "Who are you?" Bubblegum spoke aloud. Confident in the concept that she was alone and therefore, not subject to being thought of as mental – talking to herself.

"I am Marceline," Bubblegum jerked around to face her window, lace still undone at her chest. "And I, princess," Marceline grinned as she finished, "am the Vampire Queen".


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N**__: I really enjoyed writing out this part. Hope you enjoy reading it!_

_**Crimson Tree – Part V**_

Maybe it was joy, maybe it was fear – probably even a mixture of the two. A mouth-full of feelings rushed to the Princess. She froze in place. Here resting at her open terrace window edge, was that lady. No. Beaming before her, was the _Vampire Queen. _

"I-I, it is good to finally make your acquaintance, your highness," Bubblegum hadn't forgotten her manners even in the most unusual of situations.

"Drop the formalities, princess. It's Marceline," the vampire pointed out, as she watched the other monarch with judging eyes – intent ones.

She appeared to be wearing a tight corset tunic-top: frilled at the sleeves and collar. Along with a set of pantaloons, much like the ones the princess had read of in tales of pirates. Her black hair flaring around her body, almost shining in the chandelier light of the chamber. The Queen's hands folded at back of her head, as if she were reclining on a vertical sofa.

The princess still fixated with the being in front of her, asked what first came to mind, "how did you get up here?" The reply was obvious; there was an open window and a flying vampire. Yet Bubblegum wanted to prolong the conversation… Yet more, she wanted the vampire's response. Folding her arms over her chest Marceline offered, "Geez. Isn't it obvious? Since I've already _invaded _your apples, why not introduce myself through your open windows? Much like"- here the vampire motioned with a glance of her eyes to the other monarchs abdomen. Her eyes involuntarily positioned at the shadowy delve between the Princess' breasts – the lace hanging loose. "Open: just like that." Bubblegum felt the colour rush to her face, she'd forgotten the laces.

Clasping her hand over the gap, the princess turned to face a mirror. Making sure that no more of her skin could be seen, she set about tying back the laces, face still maroon with shame. Marceline sat all the while upon the window pane, watching, smiling - even enjoying every moment of 'monarch embarrassment'.

Placing her tiara back on her head, with all the mustered courage after the shame she'd never experienced before, Bubblegum questioned, "And why is it that you were at the apple orchards?" The vampire lifted her eyebrows, her hair trailing her shoulders to the ground. "Well now, if you wanna know, that tree I picked from – is mine." Bubblegum renounced the theory, "how so?"

Marceline stood up, taking a step towards the princess, she confirmed, "I planted it, legions before you existed. During the Great Mushroom War, the same time I over-threw the vampire king, you're more than welcome to look it up." The princess had read of every history within the land of Ooo, but she had never thought the one to over-throw the vampire king, would be a lady, let alone the one with her right now.

Orchestra music had found its way up into the chamber – slow, melodic; _unnecessary_. Marceline smiled at the Princess' thoughtful expression; the bend in her eyebrows. Bubblegum froze again, a light pounding in her head trebled as the vampire made her way closer and the music seemed to get louder.

"Oh, no, it's fine. I'll take the word of a queen."

Peppermint would have to check this up later, at present the princess found herself unable to focus. Focus on anything else, but the face of Marceline, just a hand away from her own.

The crimson eyes of the vampire had locked onto hers, the younger lady's cheeks flushed of colour. The vampire leaned in as the princess averted her gaze with much effort, unable to breathe… Till Bubblegum dug in a sudden gasp; a hand twisted around her waist and her own palm was guided to the vampire's shoulder. Unsure of what was happening, the princess returned her eyes back into the shining eyes of Marceline. Feeling a slight push at her hip, the princess moved in a sway to one side; the queen mirroring this movement.

The princess continued to dance in this manner, finding herself unable to break free of the hold on her body along with the pair of eyes sealed on her own. Frustration built up in her chest, threatening to merge with the urge to run away. She was frozen mentally, and yet she was spun fluidly, moving on every whim her partner procured, engaged in the quiet thud of heartbeats and drifting music in her chamber.

Marceline watched Bubblegum's unchanged face, stuck in a 'blushing comma'. She felt the princess' pulse in the hand that held her own, racing. The melody turned sharp at the climax of the composition. They swayed away from each other in a spin, once, twice. The tune returned to adagio and they reunited once more; shoulder to shoulder, breast to breast, hand in hand – continuing the slow dance with stronger grips. Neither of them spoke, but both enjoyed the passion with which they connected. Synced in desire.

_Cck! _The princess came to a halt. The taller monarch stood in place with the sudden stop, her hands still holding onto the princess. "I should be returning to the hall," Bubblegum moved back expecting herself free of the vampire's grasp, but she remained in the taller woman's hold. Marceline leaned in for the second time that night, her cheek –cool, yet soft- brushing against Bubblegum's. Her hands on the princess' shoulders now, she whispered, "Thanks for the invite. Oh, and for the dance too." Bending down the vampire snatched a paper off the floor, finally letting go of the princess, making her way to the window. "I'll leave you to your guests, princess- "

"Bonnibelle Bubblegum," interjected the princess, the dark shade of maroon returning as her eyes scrutinized her petty drawing in the hand of its subject.

"Alright then Bonnibel, if you _need_ me, you know where I'll be," the vampire offered, producing a wide toothy grin.

"Ugh, you really are indecent at times," the princess rushed in defense of having no such particular 'need'.

"Lo, says the one who flashed me her unlaced chest." And with that the Vampire Queen flew out the window, waning like a forgotten memory into the starless night.

Princess Bubblegum returned to the ball room of retiring royalty, taking their leave after a long night of dancing, one by one. Bubblegum convinced Princess Eliss and Peppermint that she'd been talking political issues with the Queen of Vampires; and so missed out on the dancing within the dome hall.

Apparently various princes had been competitively waiting to ask her hand, -not in marriage- but in hope of a dance. The evening was an accomplishment though; political ties were successfully made. But the princess recalled Marceline's whispered "find me", and she was undisputed; that what was curtained as a governmental relation, had become a _personal_ meeting. Her stomach no longer clenched in fear of vampires… Instead what tightened in passion and longing, was Bubblegum's heart.


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: **__I decided to bring a little something I've wanted to use for quite a while now._

_**Crimson Tree – Part VI**_

There was no coercion, none at all between them. Marceline sifted her way to no particular destination, just floating through the night, letting her thoughts carry her focal point. "Bonnibel Bubblegum, huh?" She said it out loud. Letting the idea that she'd just held the hips of that very girl linger in her mind, the vampire lifted the corners of her mouth, and she laughed. The laugh was deep, hearty – mocking. Could the all-powerful Vampire Queen be having "feelings"?

Marceline crumpled the drawing within her hand, the impact of even having "stirrings" in her heart – a joke. She pressed the handle of the large axe she'd left hidden before she entered the ball, having retrieved it moments after leaving _her. _Countless souls she'd taken with this weapon… the centuries she'd lived, a cold-hearted demon.

Her kind was feared, hated. People had the right to do so; vampires cowered at day time – which other beings enjoyed instead. This small aspect itself a dark property to have as deemed by other creatures. But vampires cowered not in fear, just in fear of pain; of death. The vampire herself had small scars from yesterday, when a nimble amount of sunlight tickled its way onto her bare arm – ripping, singeing and even smoldering into her flesh. What acid was to a human, was sunlight to a vampire.

_Sleurk! _Marceline's long, slithering tongue brushed against the wound, sealing the skin there, as if the skin had never bubbled in ache and peeled away just a day before. "Ow," a pretentious sound escaped the vampire's lips. Maybe pretending to be hurt when one isn't: provides a form of relief. A feeling of being cared for by those who hear it…

But Marceline was alone, as always.

_Everyone till now has loathed my kind, our 'habits', our teeth. _Nodding to no one in particular, the Vampire ended her stream of thoughts: this_ girl and her kingdom are the same. _She winced, uncurling her fingers, letting the Princess' drawing fall into the empty abyss of sky that spanned between her and the ground.

Hours had passed since she met the Princess and now she would forget it all. Passing a few pine trees, she flexed her neck left then ri-

"Had your way with her?" Yawning and floating, the Ice Queen came into "flotation" beside the Vampire Queen. Stretching her arms up, adjusting the white crown on her head, she inquired, "How was it?"

The Queen of Ice was the mirror image of Marceline in particular aspects – the long hair: though hers was a silvery white, the centuries of age, the ability to fly and the several kills they'd made. These minor similarities being the reason why the Ice Queen decided to tail Marceline, often forcing the title of 'friend' upon the latter.

"_Glob_, I thought you'd leave me alone tonight." Marceline kept her eyes off the Queen's, a desperate attempt to seem forgetful – least bothered, "Had my way with whom?"

"Why, the _pretty pink one_, of course." The Ice Queen inclined her head in the general direction of the Candy Kingdom as she spoke, "Unless I'm mistaken, man. You never attend balls; neither do you disappear once you've arrived." Flitting around a lock of her shiny hair, she offered, "I could kidnap her for you, no price expected"

The fanged monarch blushed, a light magenta colour warping around her cheeks. _Pretty-faced Princess and me, huh? _Marceline slung her axe over her back as she replied "I just sorted out the apple tree business, man." Shrugging as she ended, "I couldn't bother less about 'pretty faces'."

Sudden movement flew across the Vampire's vision, then, a giggle echoed from her left. Turning she found the Ice Queen flapping her white hair up and down on either side, chanting, "**Princess, why did you eat my heart? I told you, I prefer apples!"**

"I'll kill you!" Marceline lurched forward, axe unsheathed, fangs bared, her eyes flaring with anger.

"It's about time Marce, don't pretend to be so cold-hearted, in front of your friend. I know you have _feelings_!" Cackling the Ice Queen dodged upwards, reclining in mid-air, watching the furious vampire with delight. Besides kidnapping, teasing was her favourite hobby – victims: royalty and for the second hobby: the grouchy Vampire Queen.

"You're not my friend!" Marceline said through gritted teeth, starting to move away from the Ice Queen and towards her closest shelter cave.

"What's that? You don't deny the _feelings_? I got you!" Lifting off into the air herself, the giggling monarch made her way back to her ice castle. She left Marceline to the cavity of her ponderings, of a certain Princess she had tried to forget just moments before.

Chuckling at her victory in speech, the silvery-haired monarch fumbles at the shallow dip in her ball-gown dress, picking out a crackling object. Smiling despite the twinges of pain that surface as she leaves the other Queen, the Ice Queen unfolds and holds onto the paper she recovered – the drawing of Marceline.


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N:**__ A little below 1000 words. Things get a little tense from here onwards. Just a little._

_**Crimson Tree – Part VII**_

Bubblegum's eyebrows narrowed in irritation. _Clack, clack! _Squinting, she scanned the chamber. No sunlight cut her vision, opening her eyes completely she slowly turned her head searching for the source of 'racket this early in the morn'. A small amount of moonlight permeated her window – one of which lay wide open. Stepping out of bed, the Princess stood for a moment eyeing the window. She had no memory of leaving it unclosed.

"Agh!" A cold hand clasped over the Princess' mouth, stifling her scream. The fingers tightening on her lips, ice cold to the touch. The Princess felt her attacker's body pressed against hers, its other arm forcefully holding onto her waist with an iron grip, despite her attempts at thrashing free.

"The more you move, the harder this gets, Princess." Bubblegum stopped all movement. Not because she had learned to comply with enemies' demands, but because the voice she heard, sounded much too familiar.

"Good girl. Now," Shifting its head so its chin rested on the Princess' left shoulder, the voice ordered, "Listen carefully. We've heard of your dealings with a certain vampire, you may know her as Marceline." Bubblegum stiffened; ice cold breath came out in huge rasps on the nape of her neck where her hair had not curtained.

She _wanted_ to scream, shout, run – anything to get away from the icicle goose bumps that formed down the upper part of her spine. But the mention of that _certain_ vampire's name, made her think otherwise. The swift scrape of a metal blade against her neck, by the hand that once held her mouth: made her think otherwise.

"We have reason to believe she is going to harm you. Kill you." The blade moved across the rest of the Princess' neck, gently enough to not slice her throat, but hard enough to prick her skin and make a driblet of blood trickle down her neck. It was a light shade of burgundy, much like pomegranate juice. But this was Bubblegum's precious blood that flowed; the weapon had pierced no fruit.

It flowed sluggishly down her throat, staining her night gown. "Uh!" Bubblegum sucked in as much breath as the pain allowed, tears pricking at her eyes. "Have no more to do with her, or we will see to it that your death occurs by our hands." The blade bit its way deeper into her skin, blood trickling in miniscule streams at Bubblegum's neck – parallel to the rivulets of tears that escaped her eyes.

"Why are you doing this?" the monarch croaked, sobbing into her teeth. "I have no personal acquaintance with the vampire you speak of, but as a monarch. I-" The enemy's weapon edged away from her skin, pressing against her wound on its way out. A second blade plunged into the Princess' neck – just above the other blade – seeking more blood. Bubblegum's eyes started to move down, closing of their own accord. The Princess felt her body go numb, starting off with her shoulders then down to her legs. The strength to stand left her – she fell into the body of her oppressor, barely conscious.

The shadows of the Princess and the intruder stretching far on the floor, the shadow of the intruder grew an arm above the shadow neck of the Princess, a curved, pointy shadow moving in towards her chest. Meanwhile, a real dagger slowly lunged towards Bubblegum's torso, threatening to-

"Princess!" Peppermint Butler burst through the door. His eyes mangled with fear, he rushed towards the Princess' side; the militia he brought with him, rushed to the window-side. The four soldiers stepped out on to the balcony; two remained with Peppermint and the princess. The impostor was gone. The first attacker of the Candy Kingdom since the Great Mushroom War - was gone. And within the chamber, Princess Bubblegum lay on the floor – unconscious.

The butler tried to muffle his sobs, reaching out to check the Princess' pulse, his eyes danced around the blood that trailed the Princess' neck. "Quick! Call the doctors!" Seconds later a group of sleepy yet alert in duty nurses entered the room, each checking the Princess' vital signs. "Please give us and our Princess the privacy we require," one of the nurses muttered through her facial mask, motioning towards the chamber doors.

Peppermint left with the two guards, closing the door behind him as they positioned themselves outside the doors. The soldiers on the balcony stationed on look-out, while others searched the palace grounds.

"Pulse?" One of the nurses nodded while holding Bubblegum's wrist.

"Injuries?" The head nurse who inquired, answered that herself. Placing her fingers on the marks on their monarch's neck, she gasped in terror as she stripped the Princess' nightgown a little below her shoulders. Blood had coiled in every corner and delved into Bubblegum's skin, slithering its way down her neck, still, as the nurse wiped off the excess on the monarch's chest.

The other nurses watched in horror as the head nurse placed her fingers on the source of blood, the twin marks that encased Bubblegum's once clear skin. The tears that were forced from her eyes through her silent suffering, the amount of blood she'd lost and yet here she lay in front of them: alive. Eyes shut and mouth slightly ajar, almost as if death had chosen this moment to remind them of itself.

Shuddering, at the sight of their beautiful Princess in such a state. Shivering, at the one word uttered by the head nurse…. "Vampire."


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: **__Professor McGonagall of Hogwarts inspired the name :p Enjoy!_

_You can read the previous part here._

_**Crimson Tree – Part VIII**_

Following a duration of medical attendance and upper-body strength; the Princess was placed onto her bed. She lay their quiet – unmoving. The wounds upon her neck still not healed. Seeping fresh with blood at any time her neck was bent by the nurses, the delves remained unclosed.

"Should we make a public announcement?" Peppermint asked, pacing up and down the hallway outside the chamber, his hand on his bowtie and his head bent deep in thought. "No Peppermint, we can't have anyone of the citizens know, save us." Pausing the head nurse clarified, "not of the attack I mean, nor of the vampire."

"The Queen of Vampires was here just a night ago." Responding to the nurses surprised expression, the butler added on, "for the conference ball, I mean. I saw it on the invite list, do you suppose she could help us?"

Snorting the nurse alleged, "How do you not know that she herself is the source of this tragedy? The princess does not move, still. She met a vampire a night ago and there are clear "bite" marks on her neck." Getting up from the little stool she had placed beside the staircase, the nurse continued, "either way, we need help. I am unsure how long it will take for her to awaken, and we can't stop the bleeding."

"The Duke must not know of this, if Lemongrab finds out, he is sure to try push the Princess out of rule permanently." The butler provided a last reason.

He turned in surprise, though, as a voice he had not expected to hear in this particular conversation answered from the chamber threshold:

"And that, my dear Peppermint, is _unacceptable!" _ The Princess stood at the doorway a hand clasped on the handle, with such vigor as to hold herself up. A pained grin on her face as she uttered the last word with enough force, imitating the Duke's constant rage in perfection, notwithstanding her state.

"P-princess!"

The head nurse grasped at Bubblegum's arms to steady her and the butler flew to her side, holding back the urge to gather in his arm, the beloved monarch.

"Yes, I'm alright Peppermint. I'm afraid I won't be in proper condition to attend to my work straight away nor to talk to the council. Please inform the kingdom that I am unwell," floundering at the wrappings around her neck, next the Princess queried, "what is this, Minerva?" This time the question directed at the nurse was left unanswered. "No! Princess, don't pr-"

Too late. Bubblegum had already pressed her fingers to the spot, just above the binding where her wounds rested. The blood started to sink its way out of the bandage, staining the white material with a deep red, shade by shade.

The princess' legs gave way as she fell into a lean on the nurse's shoulder, lifted once again by the rest of the nurses, she was placed in the security of her covers and the wrappings at her neck tended to.

"We've lost her, again. This simply cannot go on, Peppermint. We can't stop this blood, nor does it have an intention of stopping. We need help and I urge you, as head of all medical staff and of _your and my_ princess, to contact the Vampire Queen." Narrowing her eyes Minerva the head nurse finalized, "Despite how much I loathe their kind, the Princess matters most."

"I understand, I shall first deal with the council and get word to Lady Rainicorn and Princess Eliss." The butler took one last look at the Princess' pale face before he turned to exit the chamber. "I rather they be present as well, if we are to host the Vampire Queen."

The nurse nodded in affirmation.

The sun starts to swim towards the ground, letting its dark cape of night flap through the Land of Ooo. A message is sent by royal carrier to the vampire queen's cave gorge and a council meeting is cancelled.

* * *

><p>_"<em>Oh my Glob<em>, is she okay? This is _so_ horrible! How did this happen? _Glob_, take me to her!" The spongy voice of Princess Elisse rung out across the palace halls as she made her way to her dear fellow royal. Closely and quietly following beside her, Lady Rainicorn posed the same questions (excluding Glob words) of the butler they followed.

Peppermint remained inexplicable with reasons, "we aren't sure ourselves, Princess Elisse." Motioning with his finger as they advanced to the Princess' chamber, he finishes, "she's in here."

"You don't know how? Ugh, _Glob_. Whatever." Elisse wasn't impressed with the butler's response, as usual, "Of course she's in there, you can like go now." The butler took his leave, turning on his heel and scurrying down the staircase at the end of the corridor.

The two ladies made their way into the chamber, Elisse floating her 'lumpy' purple body above at Bubblegum's bedside, looking at the Princess in distress and worry. While Lady Rainicorn let her multi-coloured mane trail along the floor as she stood on all fours next to Elisse, her face twisted in more pain than the former.

"She's not moving, but she's breathing. We're all worried, Princess Elisse. The vampire queen is to come sometime soon to aid us, it's said that a vampire attacked her." Minerva who sat opposite them on the other side of the bed informed. "But you are, to please not tell anyone. It may cause… Issues, I believe."

Princess Elisse burst out, eyes open wide, "A vampire? As in blood-sucking demon?"

Minerva slowly nodded and motioned with her head to the still fresh marks on the Princess' neck. Elisse floated over to the other end of the bed to join Minerva and Lady Rainicorn stretched her body over; in togetherness they eyed the two little dips in Bubblegum's skin. The blood had started to dry out but it threatened to gush out of the seers once more, was Bubblegum's neck to be moved even a little.

Throwing her arms up in there, Elisse yelled, "Oh my _Glob. Vampire? _Vampire!" Leaning in towards the Princess, Elisse muttered, "don't worry Bubblegum, I'll, like, kill that vampire for you. _Glob!" _She let out a little sob, "I'm going to wait outside, I can't look at her anymore, without like, freaking out."

"It is quite a shock to see her in such stature, Princess of Lumpy Space, but it is best if we are to stay by her side." The head nurse offered, as she watched the frustrated princess once more retrace her steps and float close-by.

A little knock was heard at the room's door; Peppermint stepped in and announced, "The Vampire Queen is here and she seeks audience with the Princess."

The dark, long-haired Queen entered the room without further ado and she eyed the 3 beings before her, with what seemed to be a hint of anger in her eyes. Maybe, even pain.

As she floated her way across the room, over to the unconscious Princess; the other attendees backed to the doorway, giving her the space she requested but not completely. They watched in pure tension and an unknown feeling of pouncing, as the vampire leaned towards the Princess' chest and examined the marks there. She even touched them; lightly moving her fingertips across the surface. Princess Elisse gasped as she noticed the contact.

"These aren't from a vampire bite." Marceline openly declared to all in the room, her eyes not moving from Bubblegum's neckline. Her facial expression, devoid of emotion.


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: **__Oh, yes she did. _

_You can read the previous part here._

_**Crimson Tree – Part IX**_

The situation to the Princess' most trusted acquaintance was becoming difficult to handle. Elisse eyed the vampire in front of her comrade with increasing suspense, "how do you even know, that those aren't vampire bites, huh?" Crossing her arms over her lumpy chest, she raised an eyebrow – trying to look as unconvinced as possible.

Marceline turned her head, an amused sneer forming at her mouth, "well, I don't know, **because I am a vampire!**" Moving her pointy incisors out from the shroud of her upper lip, she clarified with a sharp "_Kshhhh_".

The rest of the company felt their stomachs flip at the intensity of the sound, and Elisse literally 'jumped' back in a floatation arc.

"I need you all to leave the room, now. So I can tend to the wounds," she shifted her eyes back to the Princess' neckline. "I need the privacy to stop the blood flow as well, so move out." Peppermint made to leave immediately, his respect to royals in practice, but the Lumpy Space Princess stood firm unsure of leaving her friend in the hands of this demon. Especially, one that "Kshhhh"-ed.

Marceline's brow twitched in annoyance. "It's either you want your Princess awake and well… Or I can leave her in your much capable hands. Oh, and you can deal with a whole kingdom by yourselves, too."

Peppermint started tugging at Minerva's sleeve and she, the two friends; they left, the words of the vampire queen sinking in as reasonable, despite the lingering feeling of fear. The butler found it hardest to leave his Princess' side, but reverence – part of his duty and hope –that the Princess would be awake soon, obliged him.

Settling on a stool beside the chamber bedstead, the vampire leant in towards the princess' chin. Pausing her face just above the twin marks that lay embedded in the soft, pink skin, she wet her upper lip. Her hair falling down in various large curls on the princess' body, while the rest trailed the floor. Bending down into the crook of Bubblegum's neck, Marceline planted a kiss: her lightly wet lips touching the warm skin for a moment.

Bubblegum felt life flow back into her body; she felt the deep cuts in her neck sealing themselves under the command of a wet touch. It did not stop at that particular contact. She felt strokes performed on her neck, the pain she endured hours ago melting away under the cool administration of this action. And, all at once she no longer felt the dips in her skin – but the cold touch of the vampire's tongue remained on her neck.

"Marceline," Bubblegum breathed out, as the corners of her mouth turned up in a faint smile.

"Yeah, Bonnibelle." Smiling back at the gently recovering monarch, Marceline asked , "how do you feel?" The Princess did not reply, instead she nodded. Moving her arms from the sides of her body as she lay down, to reach out and cradle a lock of Marceline's hair. Twirling it in her hands, she pressed a small lock in between her fingers -_ soft and silky- _she determined.

Marceline watched as the Princess then proceeded to use her hands to push herself onto the bed in a sitting position, an arms length away from the former monarch. Bubblegum turns her head towards the doorway, her eyes pried only half open as she orders in a weak croak, "call Peppermint."

"Geez, princess. I came all this way to heal you and you prefer talking to the mint man? C'mon I eve-"

"Please," the other monarch wedged in, her eyes fluttering away just so they wouldn't encounter those of the vampire. Marceline rose from the stool, no comments given as she made her way to the chamber threshold. Yanking open the door, she calls out, "Hey butler, the princess asks for you."

As the butler reverently made his way to his ruler, the vampire looked back into the domain to catch the princess' eyes – pleading. Returning to their former spark as the blood no longer crept out of her body.

_Someone wants Bubblegum dead. A vampire doesn't leave marks like that – a dagger does._

Fast-paced conversation was being flung between the monarch and servant. The vampire waited not knowing what she was to do further.

"Ahem." Marceline swiveled around as she floated mid-air to face the butler, who had taken up a position at the doorway. "Queen Marceline, the Princess wishes that you attend to an evening meal with her, in the grand dining hall." With much pleasure mingled on his face, the butler concluded, "She wishes to have a meeting with you as well, as it seems you are to be of help to us should you agree to her terms."

"Fine." Marceline agrees, making her way to the hall with the guidance of Peppermint, she adds, "bring me some apples; I don't consume anything else – well at least not the way y'all do." She simpers, as her personal joke makes the butler shudder at the thought of 'blood-sucking meals'.

Resting her legs up on the table as she rocked on the chair, Marceline keenly emptied a third apple of its colour. That is how Bubblegum came upon the Queen as soon as she had pampered herself and entered the dining hall. Sitting on the chair farthest away from Marceline, Bubblegum watched the other monarch for a while. The other did not look back. Her hands reached for the frilly collar that lay around her neck – the neck that this very lady was licking in medication just hours ago. A deep blush grazed over Bubblegum's face: as she remembered the intimate contact and because Marceline was now watching her.

Dinner was had in silence, the candy kingdom monarch left to sustain her energy in her own ponderings and the vampire left to transmute apple after apple, as her eyes watched the princess furtively.

The two monarchs then found themselves walking the corridors lined with minor chambers that eventually led to a staircase winding up to Bubblegum's room. "I'd like to talk to you within my chamber- ah," blushing as Bubblegum amended, "I mean in the privacy it provides." Still she added on, realizing how unintentionally suggestive she was becoming, "for a conference meeting between political parties." This time around, Marceline did not answer, but she enthusiastically nodded - hiding the smirk that nearly erupted on her face.

Upon reaching the inner quarters of the chamber and watching Marceline float in as she had done all this time, the Princess moved quick to shut the door – turning its lock and securing the latch above.

Reaching up she took her tiara off, and carefully placed it on her dressing table. Marceline watched with a little more than arched eyebrows, as Bubblegum sat down on the bedside pulling her gently by tugging her arm downwards. She came into a seating position beside the Princess, the bedside lamp showing-off its flame in little streams through her glossy hair and on the younger monarch's face.

A shade of purple spread over the vampire's face for the second time that century, as she snuck a look down, noticing Bubblegum still holding onto her arm. Their knees touched and their shoulders just tiny gaps from doing so, too. They were close – _really _close.


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N: **__… =)_

_You can read the previous part here._

_**Crimson Tree – Part X**_

"Princess?" Marceline tried, her eyes questioning those of Bubblegum's. The Princess turned her head away, evading the vampire's gaze. "The attacker wanted me to avoid you." Bubblegum moved her gaze from the door that previously held her eyes to the bedside candle. The fire, though, being small in comparison to a bonfire, burned as one single, strong flame. _Like her eyes_.

"I can't recall much of the attacker's appearance as I was held tightly from behind. Its breath I felt, as raspy icicles against my neck and I cannot describe it's speed in movement. But what I remember, is the blade that pierced me twice, was pointed." Bubblegum continued, taking in a deep breath, "all blades are sharp and pointed, but this particular one drove into my skin using only its tip."

Marceline was listening earnestly, as if she were taking mental notes. Using the brief moment Bubblegum stopped in, she intervened, "Right, got it. One question though, why are you telling me?"

Hesitating, for a moment that was whisked away within seconds, the princess disclosed as reason, "I find comfort in telling you these points." Shifting her face completely so as to hide the invading rush of pink to her face, she reasoned once more, "I consider you a royal equal _and _a friend."

"Oh…." Smiling at the back of Bubblegum's head, Marceline coaxed, "How much of a friend do you consider me?"

One eye brow lifting in anticipation of the younger monarch's answer, the vampire's free hand looped its way through Bubblegum's sleek, pink hair. The Princess' head was still turned and the back of her head remained towards the Queen's face. The hand then came to rest on Bubblegum's shoulder – bringing both a deep, rosy blush to the Princess' face as well as her chin swiveling back at the sudden touch.

Much to the vampire's disappointment, moving out of the vampire's reach – just enough to let Marceline's hand falls on the ledge of Bubblegum's shoulder – the Princess replies with a nod of her head to Marceline's hand, "I consider you enough of a friend, to allow you to do _that_."

"So, I can do it _again_?" Marceline proclaims more than asking, a smirk finding its way onto her face.

"Probably, but not now." The Princess' face retained its calm manner, but it held a severe look. An upset one, almost.

Bubblegum had to ask **now**. The candle was slowly licking its way deeper into the wax, molding out the minutes invisibly. Guilty pricks started to pulse at the hand that held the vampire's arm, "Marceline, do you have the intention of killing me?" Breathing deep, Bubblegum continues, "If you are in ploy of doing so, I rather you tell me the truth." Sternly, she adds, "Now."

The vampire's mouth opened and shut. Her eyes distanced from the face that had already stopped facing her. "Did the attacker tell you that?"

"Yes, _she_ did." Noticing Marceline's arching eyebrows, the Princess elucidates, "It was a female by voice."

"Hmph, you really are quite naïve, Bonnibelle," Marceline finally declares. Bubblegum felt the first virtual slap to her face as the words struck her. But they were softened at the use of her first name in such a free manner – no one had been personal enough to use it. Moving her arm out of the Princess' hold as the other monarch, had also started to let go, Marceline demands in a rhetorical manner, "Would I _want_ to kill someone I danced with?"

The accusation in the form of question from the younger monarch: had hurt. Sarcasm was in order.

_Slckk! _A second slap struck the Princess' mind. " I-I don't mean to offend you, Marceline. I'm just… curious."

"So, you ask me if I want to kill you? Heh,_ that's_ priceless." Marceline straightens as she speaks, "No, Princess. I have no intention of harming you. There. Happ-"

"Why are you visiting and tending to me, when you have no past relations at all?' The Princess bit her lip as she interrupted, rude as it was to do – she could not hold back. Still, she found herself unable to look into the crimson eyes that focused on her.

Marceline lifted one corner of her mouth into a half-smile, the eyebrow on the side of her face mirroring the action. _Amusing, _the vampire thought.

"Please, I must know if your presence poses risk of danger to my people? Will they be attacked, too? Let alone myself…?" The Princess tries to maintain a professional outlook to the conversation, despite the mounting frustration in her voice – the vampire was not answering. Reserved as always.

Was it right to question a Queen? Was it right to question her 'friend'? Question, _her_?

For her people - yes. But for the regret and guilt that bubbled within - not one bit.

The candle wick was now, just a simmering drop of gold, dancing its last dance in flashes on the two monarchs' feet. The moon had risen high into the sky. The Candy Kingdom monarch's attendees in the halls beginning to get restless, as the amount of time she spent with her vampire acquaintance – lengthened.

Squinting in the flailing light, Bubblegum could only but make out Marceline's visage and figure made in front of her. "I would like to hear an answer".

Marceline could see much more than what the Princess did in the fading candlelight, her enhanced peripheral vision permitted it. Moving closer she cupped her hands around the Princess' face, stopping the younger monarch's thoughts to ask more: completely.

"Uhm." Bubblegum was taken aback by the sudden touch, unaware of what was happening. Flushing a deep pink, right down to her chest. "Marceline, I really don't thin-"

The Princess' words were smothered, as a set of cool, soft lips, met hers.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Crimson Tree - Part XI**_

The kiss lingers. Bubblegum was getting accustomed to having someone else's lips locked on hers. The candle now nothing but a burnt–out wick, the chamber draped in darkness save for the ever-falling moonlight that shone through the balcony windows.

They broke away, foreheads resting against each other, just enough to let Bubblegum breathe. "Why aren't you in loss of breath like- like I am?" Bubblegum asks, as her heated face let out little pants – the kiss had lasted quite a while.

"Um, hello. Vampire – remember, Bonnibelle?" Marceline points to her teeth as she spoke, "I don't _need_ to breathe, it's unnecessary for me to at all."

"I never knew that about vampires." The Princess defends, yet more enthusiastically she doubts, "so, does that mean you could - _um_". Bubblegum felt the temperature on her face rise even more as she persisted, "Kiss as long as you wanted to?"

"Yes. Like this." And before the princess could stop her, the vampire pulls in for another kiss. Bubblegum does not deny it. She can feel the warmth in Marceline's lips as they brush against hers, one side to the next.

Marceline's hand snuck away from the Princess' face, over the front of her shoulder and onto her waist in a tight clutch. Bubblegum felt the vampire smile half way into the kiss, as her body jolted in response to the hand at her hip. The princess pushed deeper into the kiss, as one of Marceline's hands, still held her face. She brought her own arms out of the security of steadying herself on the bed, to slide them around the fanged monarch's neck. The space between them: negligible.

So much had she read of kisses between couples of courting in folklore and myths. Yet more had she heard of the stories of romance, flowering with the meeting of lips. But never had Princess Bubblegum expected such pleasure, such need to desire. Pure passion - within one form of touching.

She determined deep in her thoughts, that the feeling of a kiss – is something that can never truly be written down. Especially, not when it's one with a vampire. Not ,with Marceline.

"Whoa there, Bonnibelle. Don't you have to breathe any time soon?" Marceline inquires, flashing a toothy smile as she pulls away from the huffing princess. "I could go for ages, I don't mind _at all. _But I don't want you fainting, twice in a week."

"Yes, yes. You're right," Bubblegum agrees, her eyes now on the vampires jawline. Pulling out one of her hands from the nape of Marceline's neck, she fingers the two marks that are embedded in the Queen's neck.

Meanwhile, the vampire forces herself to suppress the shiver within her shoulders as the marks are pressed a little. "Those are the trophies I get for staying alive, well, for centuries," she explains the bite marks on her neck, with simple dark humour.

Regarding it personal, the princess decided not to press on for details: both literally and theoretically. Though she was, well, curious.

"Does it hurt?" Unconsciously, the princess asks as she bends in towards the vampire's neck.

"It's been centuries since I got it, why would it?" Marceline answers, amused by the inquisitiveness that seeps from the younger monarch.

"Then I doubt this would have much effect on you," the Princess urges, as she gives the scars – small and clumped together as they are- a fleeting kiss. Colour rises over Marceline's face, the intimateness between them getting progressively, equally tense and satisfying.

"Another won't have much effect either, Bonnibelle." Placing her finger lightly on Bubblegum's lips, she conditions, "_But_, it has to be here."

"Oh, you." Bubblegum grins as she moves from the neck up to Marceline's face. The vampire slides her other hand around the Princess' waist, expectant. Expectations declined. Marceline cannot help but frown, as the Princess kisses her cheek, only, and stands up out of the vampire's reach.

"Unfortunately, Marceline. I'll have to attend to my subjects now, and I want you to come with me." Correcting politely she adds, "If you don't mind, that is."

Sighing, Marceline lifts herself off the chamber's bed and reluctantly makes her way over to the door.

"After you, Bonnibelle."

Watching the Princess adjust her tiara back onto her head, she mutters, "You royal types, have duty way too deep in your throats. Ruins the fun."

Chuckling the Princess says as she straightens out her dress, "Maybe that's why I need to breathe between kisses, too." Racketing back at the vampire she questions, "But aren't you a Queen as well, Marceline?"

Marceline's eyes flicker in interest - impressed by the witty response, she imitates in what is supposed to be the Princess' voice, "_maybe that's why I know how to not spoil a third kiss."_

"You really are incorrigible, vampire," Bubblegum scowls, as they now walk the corridor from the chamber that leads to the staircase. Marceline's laugh echoes through the passageway, she counters, "Just as you are naïve."

The rest of the night passes in merry-making at the Princess' recovery among acquaintances and council members. A part knowing of the attack, the latter convinced by the reasoning of 'sickness'.

Towards the nearing of midnight, only Lady Rainicorn, Peppermint the butler, Princess Elisse of Lumpy Space and the vampire remained with the Princess. All sitting in the parlor conversing about the latest theatrical performance of 'Warm Initials", save for Peppermint who rushed back and forth with a tray of beans in one hand a bowl of apples, in the other.

Marceline floated in her own corner above the armchair, she was "residing" in, catching looks from the Princess occasionally. She winks at the Princess, making the Candy monarch blush as she speaks to Lady. Moments later, upon the passing of midnight, the two friends had fallen asleep on their respective couches – blankets placed over them as they involuntarily stayed the night at the palace.

The Queen took this as a chance to get Bubblegum, alone - again.

* * *

><p>"I want to thank you officially, Marceline." Bubblegum states as she advances from her wash-room dressed in her night gown, speaking to the monarch who lay on her bed.<p>

"Aww, Bonnibel. You don't have to jump so fast to _that_, right after kisses." Marceline compels. As expected, the Princess' face contorts, her hands placed on her hips in disbelief.

"I'll have you know, that I am not accustomed to such behavior. Today being the first time for me, kissing." Turning her face in shame at the last word, the princess busies herself with brushing her hair – her back to Marceline. "Thank you for healing me and for accompanying me at the gathering."

"So, that's it? Alright then, _you're welcome_," the vampire sarcastically replies as she stared up at the roof of the bed's drapes. 'This wasn't my first time, y'know."

Bubblegum pushed on, a little taken back at the change of topic, "First time with what?"

The Queen casually announces, "Kissing."

The chamber's calm atmosphere seemed to tingle slightly, as the vampire's manner of voice changed. "My first was with a monarch like myself. It seemed caring in the start… but it turned out to be forceful and kinda obsessive." She explained, "by her, not me."

"Her?" The Princess turns to face Marceline, a confused expression glued to her outside.

"Yes, the Ice Queen."


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N**_**: **_I'm sure many of you didn't expect the ending to the last part. I do ship them in a somewhat, odd way. On this part though: a little more depth into thoughts._

_You can read the previous part here._

_**Crimson Tree – Part XII**_

The Princess leant against the dressing table as she spoke; stopping everything she did, paying attention. "Isn't she from the Land of Aaa?"

"Ah, so you do know her." Marceline confirms, watching the Princess' expressionless face. "Yeah, she is but she lives in the Land of Ooo, now."

Responding in a matter-of-fact manner, Bubblegum states, "I met her at the ball." Swiveling her face to watch the flame of the newly replaced candle on her dresser, she asks, with what seems to be hurt in her voice, "do you - um, still talk to her?"

The vampire notices the atmospheric shift between them. "Let's say, I avoid her and she doesn't do the same. Besides it was decades ago, we're both immortals, it'd be hard to despise each other forever."

"So it's decided that you are to stay here the night, right?" The Princess changed topic this time, feeling her chest sink deep as they spoke of the Ice Queen, the reason why – unknown even to herself. An entwinement of betrayal, no – jealousy reaping little buds.

"Yes, I think your butler," "Peppermint," the Princess insists. "Yes, Peppermint, he said he'd arrange the room next door to yours. They're all empty apparently"

"Not that I demand it," Bubblegum starts off safely. "But, shouldn't you stay in this chamber, if we are to prepare for another potential attack?"

"If you _demand_ so." Marceline answers, stressing on the verb as her fingers ran through her hair. The Princess' face boiled up, and the space between her eyebrows narrowed as she frowned into the space between herself and the queen. Marceline reassures, "I will be staying here, we both know that Bonnibelle."

"Yes, we do. I just thought you'd change your mind." Bubblegum looked back at the vampire's face, reasoning, "And, I do **not** demand it."

Chuckling at the 'apple red' face the younger monarch made, she imitates Bubblegum a second time, "_Oh, Bonni, you are incorrigible._" Taking up a place at the window pane, watching the night sky for 'attackers', the vampire takes occasional glances at the Princess who lays in bed. Shifting only her eyes, so the shadow of her head moving does not reveal her activity.

"Marceline?" The Princess mumbles, falling asleep as the physical clock in her body starts to wind itself past her usual sleeping time. "Yes, Bonni?"

"Will you stay and protect me not just this night, but till I am sure my kingdom and I, are free of the intruder?" The oath asked of.

"I'll stay with you, till I get rid of the intruder personally." The Queen replies, making out the silhouette of the close-to-sleep monarch on her bed - the candle had been blown out moments before. The vow taken.

A long silence drifted between the two. The moment the council had received news of Marceline curing the Princess –despite not knowing how- they requested that she stay to protect the monarch. Her abilities as a vampire were to be useful. And they asked only for one night, as Bubblegum herself did not want to be a burden on anyone. Especially, not the vampire queen. The Queen accepted, on the condition that she was allowed to train soldiers into proper defense, and that she remained anonymous to every citizen – she had "reasons" for wanting so, as she had stated.

"Marceline, please address me over here." Bubblegum muttered, still fighting with the urge to just fall asleep mid –conversation. "Where, on the bed?" Curving her eyebrows, the vampire asked. Though the princess did not see it, a smile formed on the Queen's face, a bold one.

"Yes," mumbles the Princess, a little imperceptibly – her mumbling rebellious of clear speech, now.

"As you wish, your majesty," the Queen ironically accepted, she made her way from the window, in four or less, long strides and into the covers that were pushed around and under the Princess, tugging them free of the tucking Bubblegum had done previously. Placing them over herself, she maintained the distance between herself and the Princess, making sure not to touch her. _Not to be provocative, lest invited to._

They lay there for what seemed an eternity, only the soft breaths by the princess occasionally rustling the stillness of the room. Marceline's axe gleamed in the moonshine as it lay against a wardrobe across the room. The former having not changed into night clothes, save removing the long-sleeved tunic she wore to reveal a tightly wrapped set of white strappings around her chest, from her hips till the frontier of her neck. The night was getting longer and monarchs as healthy and as un-vampire as Princess Bubblegum, were presumed to be asleep.

_But instead, here I lie with a vampire beside me._

"Marceline? Bubblegum broke the silence again. Turning her head in the direction of what she supposed to be the vampire's face, she murmured, "Do you like me?"

Marceline shifted her whole body along with her face that was once facing the drape roof – to face the princess. She offered, "Why would you ask that?"

"I thought you'd kill us all, back at the orchard nights ago," the reply came. "Why would you kiss someone, like me?" The Queen's hand moved from her side, brushing against Bubblegum's face lightly, stroking the Princess' right cheek delicately.

"Obviously, because I like you." The vampire's answer was straight, calm - not mocking or riddled. Bubblegum couldn't seem to try percept it as a lie.

The Princess whispered, "me, too." Moving her arm from one side so as to place it over the Vampire's middle, she lets the drag in her eyes, shut her lids for the night. Neither shamed nor thoughtful of hugging Marceline on impulse -partly due to her drowsiness - Princess Bubblegum fell asleep.


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N: **__I was delayed a little in posting this part, but here it is finally._

_You can read the previous part here._

_**Crimson Tree – Part XIII**_

The Princess awoke the next morning - alone. The other monarch was nowhere within the borders of her room. Sunlight perforated the windows of her room, bouncing off mirrors and other reflective surfaces. And, yet _she_ was nowhere to be seen, nor was her axe.

"Princess?" Peppermint spoke from behind the unlatched door. "May I come in?"

"Yes, you may, Peppermint," the Princess replied, yawning into her bed. Next shifting upwards, she lifted herself out of the grand bed. After washing herself, wearing her newest attire for the day and placing her tiara once more back on its home, she set off at a fast pace to the corridor chambers.

The latch was open when she awoke, so Marceline must have left early. Wishing to confirm her theory, she asked the butler, "Where is Marceline?" Scuttling to catch with the long strides of his monarch, Peppermint responded, "She is sleeping in the room we prepared for her last night, she took her leave at the break of dawn from your chamber."

Turning her chin down to face the little candy man, the Princess asked, "Ah, I see. But how is it that you know when she left my room, dear Peppermint?" Throwing his arms out in front a little proudly, his bowtie quivering at the sudden movement, she declared, "I was placed as guard on the roof which overlooks your balcony, Princess. She told me to keep a close watch on movement near your window and report to her if anything was seen." Turning his head to face the Princess' smile he clarified, "And that was after, I saw her leave your room to approach me."

"Well now, you've made a wonderful guard," the Princess nodded as she spoke at the beaming butler. "I'll have my breakfast a little later; I wish to talk to Marceline." As they came to a stop at the chamber that now belonged to the Vampire Queen, twirling around in time to command the butler, the Princess adds, "Please see to it that freshly plucked apples are brought up to this room, every evening." The butler bows in assent. Silently, though, he shivered remembering the first time he had fainted upon witnessing what he thought was his Princess' death by the hand of the very same apple-eating vampire.

Bubblegum knocked once, she had well-practiced manners despite this being her own kingdom. No reply. She knocked once more, but a little louder. Still, no response. Heaving open the door's handle, she stepped into the room half-expecting it to be drenched in sunlight much like her own and half-expecting it to be empty. Instead she was flung into what looked like a dark closet. The large draping that was usually tied back remained open and thick, blocking out every possible form of outer light. A couple of tunics brought to the vampire the previous night, lay in clumps around the dressing table. Bubblegum shifted her gaze back to the covered windows; they'd been secured shut using curtain ties. The large, red axe resting next to the bed-side table.

The only amount of light that filtered its way after much struggle, lit up only but the shadows of everything within the room and not more. Using this "lighting", the Princess made her way over to the bed, and finally, her eyes came to rest upon the slumbering Marceline. Mane sprawled around her, in such a manner that two pointed ears were revealed to be hidden under the mass of thick hair.

The Princess had read before of vampire's weakness in open sunlight, how it was painful for any form of contact with it to be had on their skin. Guilty pangs struck the princess. She did not even consider for a moment if Marceline's "housing" was appropriate. The vampire would now sleep the rest of the day, or spend it within the confines of the room – far away from the sun's glare.

Placing a light nip on the vampire's forehead, the princess left the room. Documents had to be signed and a speech to be delivered to the people. Problems to be solved and councils to be dismissed. Sighing as she walked back to her room, preparing her eyes to take in the stack of documents that waited, Bubblegum wished that just for once, she too, could sleep the day away.

As the thick pile of documents declined, time marched on. The Princess worked vigorously to finishing off the treaties of one region to another, all still pending from the night of the ball and the previous night. Skipping her breakfast and luncheon altogether – even when her butler pressed on about how unhealthy it was. Not a moment was to be wasted, not while work was to be done. The shadows under Bubblegum's vision grew as the hours grew longer, and passed till they disappeared altogether. Yet, the shadows were once again relinquished as fresh candlelight permeated the room instead – night was falling deep.

Only a few requests remained now, ones that could be attended to later on. Open on Bubblegum's desk was a large, thick book. A little dusty at its sides – dusting by a certain butler denied to it over the past few days. The Princess wrenched open to the page that lay under the marker she had placed last time she was skimming through its pages. The book was actually a complete collection of historical events, compiled by survivors of the war itself. They ranged from soldiers to chefs. Generals to authors. Adventurers to monarchs. Ice men to the merpeople of the sea. Each had taken the time to brief out or extend the story of a war according to their personal writing abilities. Between the entries of Billy the hero who had _slayed 5 trolls today _and Marcius the Merman who had _fought off the crab attackers of the South_, Bubblegum's eyes stopped on the entry authored by "_Marceline_".

It had no detailed records like that of Phineas the sailor, but merely stated, "_I planted a tree in the western grasslands and it is MINE." _ Running her finger over the spine that read "_The Great Mushroom War_", the Princess closed the book – all evidence of the apple tree belonging to the Queen written here within the very pages of true history.

But that did not explain why the vampire had returned to see the Princess.

It did not explain, why the Princess was nearly killed due to meeting the vampire.

And it still did not explain why, Bubblegum was growing intensely fond of Marceline: even in her absence…

_Clang! _The sound of metals being bashed against each other rung in the monarch's ears. A high-pitched cackle then proceeded, followed by a moan. _The soldiers!_ Two had been positioned outside, left on guard duty – while Marceline was unable to function in daylight – though, it was well past sunset now. Rushing to her balcony windows, throwing them open Bubblegum watched in horror as one of her guards clutched at his chest and fell down into the shadow of the enemy.

Lifting her gaze up into that of the 'enemy', the Princess gulped.

Not in fear, but in recognition.


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N: **_"Only in a battle of power, is one's weakness found". Around 1200 words. A little fast-paced.

_You can read the previous part here._

_**Crimson Tree – Part XIV**_

Marceline had awoken long before sunset. She gotten ready to meet the Princess and had a long bite into her apples. Draining each one of its red shade of colour, with as much satisfaction as one would have with eating one – only if you like the crunchy, yet juicy taste of apples, of course. As she dragged on a dark tunic top over her body, she watched little parts of the skin near her navel and upper body shimmer. It was no shiny shimmer, but more of a dull one. The one that past scars, battle cuts and accidental sunburns leave behind on a vampire's fast healing body. They were barely visible, nor did they hurt. Instead they slithered around like a snake hunting its prey, in and out of the skin in little delves.

Pulling on the rest of her clothing for the night, she fumbled with the thoughts in her mind – the ones she'd pushed to the far back upon hearing them. _"Do you have the intention of killing me?" _ The words of _that_ Princess echoing deep in her head: bewildering, painful. Why would anyone say something like that? _Why wouldn't they? I am the big, bad vampire._

"Ah! Someone help! Lady Marceline!" The vampire spun around to face the windows within her own chamber; grabbing her axe in hand she pushes the latches open and flew out. That was the voice of the guard she had posted along with another.

The vampire flew to the Princess' balcony that lay in a large curve to the right of her window. A guard had fallen. The other – the one that shouted- bearing up his spear, stood his ground. Something was definitely not right.

The queen turned her head slowly, and it came to stop upon a large flowing dress, blue-like skin and abundant locks of shining, silver hair.

"There you are, Marceline," the Ice Queen exclaimed, as if reuniting with an old friend in a situation less intimidating. "Hold on a bit, I have to finish with him." The fanged queen watched as the Ice Queen formed a blazing white spear of ice in her hand and slammed it head first into the guards chest. Making him engulf air as the force threw him backward, holding onto his right breast before dropping sluggishly to the ground. It did not damage him, though, but a loud crack sounded as his leg twisted during his fall.

Princess Bubblegum gasps at the sight of the poor guard, collapsing. Her eyes locked on the figure of the Ice Queen, floating high in the air. "_Kshhhh!" _Marceline hisses, charging at the other Queen, fist clenched around her axe and the other fist flying in for a blow.

The Ice Queen is, as aforementioned, equal in most things to the Vampire Queen.

Taking in the force of the blow with her right hand, the Ice monarch smashes her left arm into the vampire's other arm. They grapple with each other, force against force. Equal powers, waging war. Their eyes burning in equivalent flares.

The Princess climbs out of the window, watching in agony at the battling monarchs. "No." A quiet denial escaped her mouth, as she observed the fallen soldiers before her. _Her own fallen people_. Marceline's glower shifts to the corner of her eyes, at the sound of Bubblegum's voice; distracted for a spilt second. That was all the Ice Queen required. Imbuing the pulsing energy from the white crown on her head, she lets sparks of ice fly forth from her fingertips, make their way up Marceline's own hand. _Skrsht!_ The hand was now encompassed in ice. Flying behind the vampire –still holding onto the unfrozen hand- the Ice monarch brings back the vampire's hands forcefully and freezes them in place. And, then, she lets go completely.

Marceline's hands were trapped together behind her, as she crashed to the ground. The air knocked out of her lungs on impact. The tiles beneath her cracking and splintering, in return. Her axe – tumbling with a loud _clatter_. Moving her body a little forward so she is positioned directly above the vampire, the Ice Queen places a hand above the vampire's head –a foot's distance away- but that was enough. Enough to focus her energy on subduing the struggled approaches of Marceline to break free of the icy structure. The power battle continues, but in an indirect manner.

"You! It is you who attacked me two nights ago!" The Princess yelled out, a head shifting in blame from her fallen companion to the responsible Ice monarch. Cackling, pleased at her mild victory, the enemy replies as she twirled a lock of her silvery hair in her fingers, "Spot on. But do tell, how did you know it was me?"

Marceline groans in-between her teeth as the pain of falling on her ribs, climbs its way up her nerves. The soreness throbbing all over her, but even so, she notices the change of voice in her 'friend' – the change of tone.

Still struggling against the magical restraint the Ice Queen uses to hold her down, she forces her head to move- grappling now, with the power trying to paralyze her. She looks at the Princess. The Princess returns the gaze. The vampire feels her chest burn.

Tears jabbing at her eyes, Bubblegum declares, "Your voice was not disguised, despite the fact that your visage was not visible." The Princess rushes through every amount of combat she has seen or learnt, searching her mind for ideas. Anything, to stop the Ice monarch harming Marceline further, if she is let to focus. _Distract her._

"She just had to heal your neck, huh?" The Ice Queen notes, "Such a shame, I wouldn't have to be back at this candy lot. Better finish this up then." The Queen begins to lift her hand from her hair, up into the air. A bolt of ice started to curl its way into formation.

"No! Please don't!" The Princess was pleading. She was not about to see the vampire stabbed. She was going to watch Marceline - **die**. The tears now freely falling from her eyes, dripping onto the balcony floor. _There's nothing I can do. Nothing._

Bubblegum had once fought off an unusually large group of bees attacking the honeycomb valley, singlehandedly. But she could not face an ice-manipulating witch. She had not the muscle to stop the impossible.

_Fight with fire. _

Grabbing the fallen soldier's spear, Bubblegum ran forward, her tiara falling off as her hair swayed back in large swirls against the pushing wind. Willing to try stop the evil Queen, or let death wrap its greedy hand around her in the process, she raised the weapon higher and sprinted.

The Ice Queen's smirk only grew deeper at Bubblegum's plead, and even more so as the petty, girl thought she could attack "The Ice Queen". She raised her hand, the moment to strike: imminent. She'd never meant to throw it at Marceline. Instead, she had the victim she'd targeted , heading right towards her.


	15. Chapter 15

_**A/N:**__Hope you enjoy this part!_

_You can read the previous part here._

_**Crimson Tree – Part XV**_

The movement was quick, swift – unexpected. The Princess could feel her dress flapping about around her ankles; the longer smockings bound to trip her as she pushed against them into the run. She felt both pairs of eyes at the battle scene piercing her, one belonged to the lunatic ice monarch, the other pair to the woman she admired. Raising the spear as high as the hem line of her dress allowed, she flung it with as much strength as she could assemble.

Marceline watched in muted agony, she wanted to push the Princess away – her hands were bound. She wanted to shout, yell even screech at the younger monarch to run away – her mouth would not move – she was forced into quiet. Bubblegum had chosen to stay and fight – her actions, not forced in the least.

The Ice Queen anticipated the weapon to be flying towards her. Wrong. Bubblegum threw the spear straight at Marceline. Straight at the bindings of pure ice. The vampire understood all at once. _Krshkkk! _The sharpened edge of the spear crashed into and broke the ice with ease, making it smash to pieces, setting free an angry queen.

"What is wrong with you?" Exclaims Marceline, grabbing her axe in a swoop off the floor, and standing in front of the Princess, the question directed at her once-ally.

There was no reply. At least not one, that could be fathomed as speech. Instead, there was slow, hoarse laughter. The Ice Queen's eyes flicker a hazy green, not her usual blue. "We will take what is ours, and the Candy Kingdom's Princess will not interfere."

The Ice Queen still had her hand raised, her stamina now doubled as focusing her energy into keeping the vampire trapped, was no longer necessary. The ice bolt flew, it needed not any form of thrusting, she moved it by sheer will.

Mirroring the flight of the ice bolt, Marceline uses a hand to swing her axe in a circular motion, just in time to crash its side into the icy javelin. The other hand had pushed the Princess backwards. _Tshhh! _A second smash's sound reverberated through the just fallen dusk. Shards of frozen splinters cut through the skin on Marceline's arms, tearing it in most places, sinking deep in others.

The vampire, did not react. Not to the slivers in her skin, nor to the fresh blood creeping out of the newly formed cuts.

The icy pieces shimmered: like crystals in the vampire's skin, as they basked in the light of the outer lamps of the palace's structure. The blood glistened, yet more. "Marceline!" Standing behind the vampire, a few feet away now due to the previous 'push', the Princess noticed the wounds all too soon.

The Queen turns her head only once – showing Bubblegum what seems to be a smile, resentful and pained in its depths. Lasting but a second.

She then clutches the red axe with both hands, letting it rest in a grip before her horizontally. Glaring at the enemy, she lurches forward ramming its stomach. The vampire 'falls off' the balcony mid-air with the other queen. A red axe clatters at the Princess' feet, left behind purposely.

Bubblegum makes to go forward, but stops at the grumble of a fallen guard. She can no longer see the queen. Turning her attention to the guard, she kneels down to check his pulse, along with his twisted leg. His eyes flicker open.

"Are you alright, majesty?" He mumbles, unable to turn his head, but able to see his monarch staring down at him. This being the second time, the last being, when he and his companion fell at the might of Marceline.

"I'm alright. Let's get you both to the nurses," the Princess replies, worry frowning at her eyebrows and adrenaline still pumping in her veins. "Remember, no one is to know, just like last time."

_My kingdom is at risk. My people, are at risk._

* * *

><p>Raking her hands into those of the Ice monarch, Marceline wrestles with her as they plummet downwards. The abnormally reticent one of the two, presses her hands against the vampire's neck, but even Marceline noticed, that the grip was not hard. No intention to kill present. "Ack!" The hands rewrapped tightly at Marceline's jawline – twitching a little.<p>

Between the strangles she received, she demands in the space of time where her mouth is not jabbed, "What are you doing, **Betty**?"

The Ice Queen pauses all action. Her eyes to return to a hazy sapphire, now. "Marcy… Get away from me! The princess, did I harm her? No, you must leav-" The eyes transpire back to devil green, illuminated, more than ever in the night of the sky.

A booted foot lashes out and knocks Marceline backward in her middle, but her arms are held onto. The Ice Monarch kicks off to a side, floating and pulling the vampire along.

"You've gone insane! How could you even try killing someone innocent, Betty?" Lashing her own legs out beneath her, Marceline provides repatriation by swinging her knees into the other queen's stomach.

Betty stopped all movement, again, as her name was called by the vampire.

A blank expression taking the place of the demonic snarl she had embedded just a knee-swing ago. The Ice Queen's crown tips off her head as she arches at the kick's force. It falls into the forestry below.

Marceline pounces behind Betty, slipping her hand around the Ice Queen's waist and the other around her neckline – a tight body-lock. But the latter did not resist – did not respond. Their large, locks of midnight-black and moony-white hair, dancing about them as the two Queens remained afloat in the night's chilly air. Suddenly, one queen dropped out of the sky.

The Ice Queen's weight pulled down – her head drooping low, her limp arms pointing downwards. Marceline held the inert queen in her grasp, turning her slowly so her face could be seen. The Vampire Queen watched as the luminescent eyes turned from a deep green, to a hazy sapphire and ended in the Ice monarch's original: light blue. The eyelids closed with the return of natural colour, and with the loss of a possessing power.


	16. Chapter 16

_**A/N: **__The song I was listening to while it rained, may have and most probably has completely influenced this part._

_You can read the previous part here._

_**Crimson Tree – Part XVI**_

With what seems to be miles, the Vampire Queen drags on forward through the night. Cradling the comatose Ice Queen in her arms, she moves closer and closer to the Candy Kingdom palace. The once proudly worn white crown of the Ice Kingdom, slung in Marceline's wrist like a gipsy's bangle. Betty's head lolled against the vampire's chest, her arms folded into the dip her middle formed when she was carried. Her hair splaying liberally through the night sky, like a reflection of her care-free nature.

Marceline was in no way accustomed to the silence that followed her – not when the Ice Queen was with her. Not a witty murmur uttered from the icy lips. Not a cackle to be heard, as unpleasant as they were.

She lay completely still.

Passing the branching trees and creatures of the night, the vampire made her way to the palace entrance – she did not want to see the balcony – not when the infirmary was closer _this_ way. Her vision blurs a little as whisks of silvery hair tickle her face - she lands down.

"Halt. Who be ye?" a particularly buff candyman asks. The starchy lumps at his biceps retracting as his hand reaches down to the sword strapped at his belt.

"I am Queen Marceline of the vampires, and this be," motioning with her head to Betty, Marceline continues "Queen Bethany of the Ice Lands. You will do well to let friends of your monarch through."

"My apologies your highness. Precautionary measures have been taken, due to unexpected attacks. The Princess has informed all high guard officers of you." The guard offered, bowing in respect and opening the doors in turn.

Marceline nods. It's a slow, flaccid movement – all that the vampire could do to speed up the door opening process.

Her arms now covered profoundly in blood, hidden under the figure of the Ice Queen, whose weight pushed the shards - that had now became a part of the vampire's arm – deeper.

"Your highness, can I help you with anyth-" The guard never quite finishes, the vampire moves forward through the doors, neither turning back or asking the guardsman to repeat his sentence.

The few night staff, mainly maids and runners stop their duties mid-way, gaping at the strange woman that walked in. Her hair is disarrayed and her face mopped in sweat. Recognizable, though, to them all was the Ice Queen in her arms. The jolly, lady who spent hours entertaining them in the kitchens with her tales of adventure, rather than dancing with the rest of the royalty in the Caramel Halls.

A maid steps closer, as she attempts to make her way to the Queen. Worry visible in her face – Betty had quite the impact on the workers as a queen who would even be seen with servants. Marceline's eyes stab the ground at the maid's feet, her expression vapid, but enough to draw the line of do-not-approach out clear for all in the bailey. Not a word is said. Ignoring the eyes scrutinizing her carrying the monarch who they seemed to admire, Marceline trudged on. Walking, like all of these people, the last thing she needed was shock at floating beings. Shock at supernatural beings. Beings known as vampires.

_Left, right, turn, ugly courtyard, corridor, walking peppermint's room, corridor._

Marceline checked off the directions in her head. She'd explored the palace before, once at the ball and once before heading to bed the previous night. Lifting the other queen higher in her arms, she bent up her right leg and smashed it into a door. Locked or not, a broken door did not matter when her hands could not knock or turn wooden knobs.

_Infirmary._

The nurses were bent over the injured guardsman and his companion, wrapping up the last of the bandages his twisted leg required. _Crash! _The infirmary door fell over, and Marceline stepped onto it. One of the nurses squeaked. Minerva's eyes widened. The head nurse had not seen the vampire for but two nights, and here, she bursts in with another woman in her arms.

Marceline did not look at them. Now, dragging her feet to the nearest bed, she carefully places the Ice Queen on its covers. Bending over as she does so, to pull her arms out from underneath. Fresh blood mixed with dry blood, lay matted against the back of the Ice monarch's white dress. As the remaining nets of the dress' lace covering slipped off the vampire's arms, all eyes captured the blood trails and cuts that now formed her skin.

"Queen Marceline! Your arms, they're…" Minerva struggles to find an appropriate word to describe the mess, but fails. The other nurses behind her offer no comment, but merely taken in the wretched sight in their presence.

"Princess," Marceline muttered, moving her body in lagging steps to the chair beside the Ice monarch's bed. Grasping its handle, she lowers herself, the white crown that encircled her wrist clinking as it hits the wooden arm rest.

Bubblegum had been watching from the back of the ward. As she walks towards the queens she notes the trailing blood. Her throat clenches shut. The vampire's head was low, and dark hair concealed her eyes in large swirls across her face.

"Minerva, come tend to Marceline. The rest of you, please take them," she pointed to the two guardsmen "to their respective chambers. They've done well, today."

The nurses themselves could feel the thunder crackling from the vampire, despite being a good distance away from 'it'. Not wishing to stay a moment longer, they pushed the two soldiers on make-shift trolley beds, over the broken door like a rampart and out of the ward.

Minerva taking a large partition – a temporary door – slides it into place, blocking the doorway in a perfect fit and providing the privacy she knew they required.

Princess Bubblegum eyes the Ice Queen, distrusting – angry.

Next, she fixes her gaze on Marceline, who'd finally lifted her chin up to speak. Her eyes bloodshot, ironically for a red-eyed being like her.

Bubblegum pushes the folds of her dress forward from the back of her thighs and takes a seat next to the very queen who almost killed her – twice. Meanwhile, Minerva had taken up a place at the vampire's side removing pieces of ice, unusually, still frozen. The vampire dropped her face again, suppressing the pain that had finally started to make its way into her nerve system – the slivers now hurt. They'd dug deep into Marceline's flesh.

Addressing the Princess while trying to calm her voice, Marceline hedges, "She's gone."


	17. Chapter 17

_**Crimson Tree – Part XVII**_

Bubblegum stares into the space between her feet and the vampire's. Unable to phrase an answer to what was not a question; she waited for the dressings on the vampire's arm to be tied. Her eyes involuntarily flitted to the slightly open mouth of the Ice Queen, then to the crown that belonged to that very monarch – worn on Marceline's wrist.

Despite guessing an answer to her own doubt, she questions anyway, "Who is gone?"

Silence reigns. Only, the little shuffles of the bandage material as it is wrapped around a clotted arm, nips at the quiet that had fills the air. Minerva makes to wrap the right arm, lifting the stool she had taken up and placing it in front of the vampire. But she does not rest upon it to continue her work. Princess Bubblegum stands up and thrusts her hand out gently, expectant. Understanding the motion, the head nurse places the second roll of bandage wrap in the princess' open palm. Bowing to each monarch – save the one that lay still – she takes her leave.

Tsh_! _The partition slides shut, leaving the three royals to the privacy of their own worlds. Stiffening, Bubblegum bends forward after taking a seat on the stool. A light tinge of energy flowing into her fingertips as they worked on the vampire's soft, cool skin. Once, twice, thrice – she wrapped the now un-iced cuts.

All the while, Marceline's head looked away from her arm – from the Princess, her eyes resting on the inactive Betty's face.

Finishing the final wrappings in silence, the Princess scoots the stool closer into the vampire's knees. Bending forward, Bubblegum cups Marceline's face and slowly turns it – making sure that the action is not discouraged. It isn't at all, as the Queen willingly rests her face in the Princess' palms, her eyes still refusing to look into the younger monarch's.

"Marceline?"

The vampire's feet shuffle a little under the Princess' dress – the stool was quite close and so was the princess. The vampire's now dressed arms lay on her lap. "Look at me," orders Bubblegum, her smooth touch on the cool face pressing a little – requesting approach. Marceline obeys, bringing her eyes into level with those of Bubblegum's. Just at that moment, the princess notices the deep gaze the vampire possesses; the depths of her eyes vast and endless.

"Now, tell me, what is going on?" The Princess asks, her eyes seeming to get lost in the endless pool of the vampire's look, but her stern expression demanded answers: reasons.

"She..." The vampire swallows here, unnecessary breaths of air taken to help her continue, "Bethany, is gone."

The Princess still didn't get her reasons. "What do you mean by gone? Why is she back here?" Trailing her left hand from the vampire's face she lightly placed her fingers on her left arm, "how did _this_ happen?"

Marceline smiled. Despite the worry and pain clearly showing in the bend among her eyebrows and the droop of her head."Questions, as always, Bonnibelle." She then proceeded to clasp a hand onto the one that clutched her face.

The Princess felt her skin spark this time. Marceline unclasped the hand from her face, and moving it to a side making the Princess lean along with her, she placed it on the chest of the Ice Monarch. Bubblegum opened her mouth to question the action, Marceline disposed of it with a nod of her head to the Ice monarch's chest.

The Princess felt nothing at first, just the ruffles of the double collar on the inert monarch's chest. Then, there it was. _Dmph. _A slight thud against her hand, which made its way up to the vampire's hand as well. A pause, and exactly 6 seconds later, a second thump surfaced.

Bubblegum, perplexed still as to how this was answer, moved her head in a little motion: left then right. "Bethany the Ice Queen is an immortal. She's not meant to have a heart beat as visibly thudding as this, just to one's touch. Just like me."

Reclining her hand back to her lap, the Princess started placing the new details that entered her mind, piece by piece. "And how, did she get a pulse, then?"

The vampire huffed out, reciting as if by heart, "An immortal such as the Ice Queen gets her energy from an inanimate object, which provides her with supernatural powers. This is foreign to the usual theory of immortal beings merely alive forever with no outside influences or phylacteries. Phylacteries can be the source of power as well as the base for an outside force to control the one who takes their power from such a device. "

Marceline turned her head to face the door she'd bashed in earlier, her hands folded at her chest, she continued the recitation, "Bethany's phylactery is the ice crown, which once removed from her head usually does not affect her immortality, though, her power is reduced and then eventually: removed".

"I knocked her crown off and she now has a throbbing pulse."

The Princess' eyes did not even flinch from Bethany's face, but she listened with just as much attention to every word and every new thing she learnt – the facts falling in place now, like puzzle pieces.

"Her eyes are usually blue and they were green while we fought." A faint silence follows the guilty rush in the vampire, she then adds, "She's been possessed, that's why she fainted instead of just only losing her powers. The controller's power still remains within the crown, and that's why the crown is not to be on her head any longer".

The Princess concludes while shifting to face Marceline, "I understand. That means she was not responsible for… her previous actions".

There is no reaction from the Vampire Queen, only a moment of dull quiet stagnating as each monarch takes in the last words. Bubblegum queries finishing off her fitting of puzzle facts.

"Who would do this?" The question flitting for so long, came out into the open by the pink-haired monarch.

No response.

The Princess watches Marceline's face, framed in serious clouds – a slight frown at her lips. Bubblegum was not accustomed to seeing her like this, in such an ominous state. Not when the only side she'd been shown was 'the mocking temptress'.

All at once, the vampire moved out of her chair, still taking heavy turns to position herself on the bed; a hand at Bethany's hair. "I don't know".

Bubblegum felt a little flame light in her chest, buzzing. But not the comfortable kind she had when the fanged queen's hand brushed against hers, it was a spark of hurt – the buds of jealousy growing into roots.

The Princess turned her chin in an arch, looking away, trying to keep her eyes off the intimacy. "My deepest regards for the Ice Queen". A simple condolence. Not too touchy for one who had attacked her nor for one who had Marceline's hand stroking her hair.

_You are being unnecessary Bubblegum. You are a princess, be professional._

"I understand that you're both close", the younger monarch finalizes her commiserations.

"She is my _only_ friend," the vampire croaks, the pain of any past defect in her ageless life, bundling up at her throat. She then faces the princess, expecting nothing but still, observes her.

_Then what am I? _Pushing the twinges of envy in her mind, the Princess laces her fingers over the vampire's hands that now lay crossed on top of each other at her lap.

She asks as softly as she can, "When will she wake up?"

Marceline moves her head slowly – a negative response. "I'm not sure," mumble the sides of the immortal's mouth as they widen and expand into a deep sulk. Simultaneously, the creases between her eyebrows scrunch up even more. Bubblegum reaches out to catch the Queen's face, attempting to comfort her.

Her jealousy seems petty – pathetic and vain – especially when: little drops of warm tears slide down her wrist.


	18. Chapter 18

_**A/N: **_Again, music must have influenced this chapter. Shuffle ruined the ending, somewhat.

_**Crimson Tree – Part XVIII**_

The dimly lit candles of the infirmary sends flashes of light throughout the ward. It travels through walls, over bed sheets and back to its source. The candles are placed at every ledge and corner of the quarter, brightening up the place as much as possible for the medics to work. The light also livens up the place for patients: recovering from rare cases of starchy defragmentation and the usual candy cold.

The sharp brightness of light is forever active; bouncing off on the occasional window, at times on glass phials, but now, it shines in the little depths of black in the tears that roll freely over Princess Bubblegum's wrist.

Instinctively the princess reaches her second hand up to grasp the other side of the vampire's face. A stream of tears filing down that side of cheek, as well. Marceline does not recline, instead she arches into the younger lady's shoulder, resting her head there and sobbing quietly into the crook at Bubblegum's neck.

The Princess wraps her hands around the vampire's back, holding her close. "Marceline…."

The white crown clinks a little as Marceline returns the embrace, tightly pressing herself to the Princess – trying to suppress and stop her cries.

"I-I used to push her away so much, even when I enjoyed her company and now, here she is… like that," Marceline caws in between her sobs.

Bubblegum feels tears at her eyes as well. _Oh not again. _These past few days she'd cried much more than she'd wanted to. Once during the attack, the next when she watched Marceline suffer a near-death experience and now, she was about to: as the same woman cried before her. Unaccustomed to the activity she is, and as much as she feels the little salty drips wanting to fall over – she holds them back.

"Marceline, look at me."

The vampire does not flinch, but remains hinged in the Princess' shoulder. Still attempting to steady herself, grazing into the other lady's arms, she pulls out a little as she sneaks a look at Bethany out of the corner of her eyes. _So still, like she's dead._

"No. Look at me," the Princess orders, her right hand now clasped around Marceline's arm - much too tightly to be comforting. But before the vampire even looks up to face the younger monarch, her arm is tugged at, next however - it is dragged. The vampire lurches forward as the sudden force rips her off the bed – the burst of pain in centuries had left her slightly shaky, or the 'princess tug' would not have moved her at all.

Bubblegum steps over the fallen door as she leads Marceline across the ward, out the doorway as she pushes aside the partition and out into the empty hallway. Her grip loosens not, even, as the two stand in the empty corridor. The Princess remains facing the wall opposite the ward and Marceline's eyes rest on the ground as she stands behind the princess.

As she lets go off the vampire's arm and settles it at her side, Bubblegum starts, "I know you're in pain, but you must comprehend, that it is in no way your doing." Turning to face the vampire as she speaks, worry lining her face, Bubblegum reasons, "She has not left us completely if I understood properly what was mentioned earlier-"

"But Bonnibelle, what if we can't save her?" Marceline finally rejects any form of reasoning, her voice recovering from the clutches of croaks that crying provided.

Bubblegum examines the shoddy eyes and fresh, wet yet faint lines that had sunken into the taller monarch's face. "We simply, must keep "if" out of the agenda and work on _hoping_ that she eventually, does… Besides at least she is with us and not an enemy, right now. You ought to-"

"Hope?" The Queen snorts, her hair seeming to have gained a will of its own: flares around in little jolts. The vampire's tears are now dried, and but assets of a passing moment in an eternal life.

"_Hope_ has never been around for me, princess. Not in the ages I've lived, not through the numerous times _I_ was blamed for killing 'innocent people'." The Vampire Queen's tone raged a stage higher, "Not when everyone **hates **my kind. Hope _isn't_ bringing my friend back."

The eyes that dissect the princess now bare crimson sparks, like little fires burning in their owner's fury. Bubblegum's heart starts to pound in her head, forming loud thudding bangs against her mind's door. Marceline was yelling at her – angry in person, scary in a way. But most of all: _deeply upset. _

"Please, understand what I'm saying, I only wish to-" the Princess stops short, not because she willed it so, but because the Queen takes her leave, by turning on 'her heel' mid-air and making her way through the corridor, floating away. The Ice Crown rolls about, clinking and scraping in loud _Krshht'_s against the inner wall as the vampire carelessly drags it along.

It glows a light green at its corners, but no one was there to notice.

Not the baffled Princess who watches her only bodyguard disappear around the turn of the corridor, not the queen of vampires who storms off as she fights the urges to wield her axe into open war and **definitely**: not the butler who hears all - within the privacy of his chamber and its slightly open, door.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Crimson Tree – Part XIX**_

The woman floats across various corridors, no destination at hand, merely the dragging of her mind anywhere from a princess and an injured queen. Anger plunders at her temples, pressing forward, bashing aside logic and reason; clouding her mind with its poisonous throbs. But, it simmers down as well, as the quietness of empty paths drowns out the rest of the world. Her legs feel heavy, wanting to slog her down and pull off the weight of the thoughts, that surfaced in the atmosphere the serenity provides.

No night staff seem to be around, the hour gone past midnight and only a few sentries eying out entrances and openings to the palace, remaining on duty.

The guard on duty near the grand stairs, bows as the queen passed by: all sentinels informed of their potential training with her. Marceline nods, all that: politeness and her buzzing mood provides. The grand stairs to the left would take her to the Caramel Halls, and the other to the West Looking tower. But Marceline takes neither; instead she lets her feet touch the ground as her eyes slowly sweep, across the large portrait painting in the middle of the stair crossroad.

Gold embroidery stitched in the finest silk outlines its border, covered in roses all around and at the centre of it all; Princess Bubblegum herself smiles down at the fanged monarch.

The Princess seems a few years younger in the painting, a wide smile drawn at her face, her hair pinned up and held in by her tiara and a single red rose held by both her hands. _She truly is beautiful. _The vampire quietly muses – admires, even.

But a swing of eyes back to the sentry and the shuffle of his feet, bring her back to her initial task. Getting away from the watchful eyes of the world. The shadows of the night play their little games, dancing across tiles and spinning around paintings and statues lining the pathway to the West corridor. Marceline walks them silently, letting her own shadow spread across and envelope them all – just like a hungry fiend. Up and up, Marceline trudges on - no longer floating but using the steps and the force of her feet to reach the top of the tower.

Carefully lifting the latch to the small, circular room within, she swings the door open. The guard placed on duty, who was nodding off just moments before, stands at the alert: turning and flashing the base of his war hammer. "Ah, Queen Marceline, forgive me," he states pulling back his grand hammer and taking a deep bow.

Marceline beckons to him with a thrust of her thumb backward, "please go guard the East tower". Stepping further into the room, she leans against the bricked open window of the walls adding, "I'll be at this tower".

"Yes, your majesty", the guard immediately replies, grabbing his war horn and moving out the door. He sighs longing for his night of sleeplessness to end, but all the same, looks back to watch in fascination as the vampire steps out onto the window ledge. Lodging her feet downward, she sits there watching the night sky. Praying that he receives his sleep soon and that he too were blessed with the soberness of a vampire, the guard makes his way through the East corridor and leaves the vampire at her post.

* * *

><p>Marceline entwines her fingers together while propping her chin up on the bridge they make in-between. The cool night breeze embraces the free running hair at her sides, pulling them into spiraling hugs far from her back and letting go, as it passes on into the rest of the night sky.<p>

The thoughts plaguing her mind now freely drift into focus, much like the wind.

_Was I too harsh on Bonnibelle? She was wrong about hope… but she was trying to help._

Twinges of nerves gather at the vampire's forehead, and little shivers of uncomfortable warmth spread down her throat. Guilt masked its way deeper to her belly, grounding there and making her fidget below the bridge her chin rested on.

_Another bad decision? _The vampire feels the sides of her mouth involuntarily droop. _Yes. Yet again, the demon of the night strikes the innocent. _She moves her hand upwards resting her head into them, her legs still dangling outside the ledge, hundreds of feet above ground; the tower being even taller than the balcony of the Princess. _I should not have lashed back at her. Another mistake to cling to. Another- _

A grip clenches over the vampire's shoulder, pressing into her tunic. A hand.

Not a moment to waste, Marceline kicks at the ledge using the balls of her feet – plunging out into the air as she swivels her entire body around to face the hand's shadowed owner. No candles light up the tower, only but moonshine that reaches but the very edge of the brick window's pane. The shadowy section - shrouding the stranger.

Marceline immediately grapples at her back seconds later, her hand reaching back to grab the handle of her deadly weapon. The queen pauses, because not only was the shadow stretching out towards her, but also because – her axe handle was nowhere to be felt.

The shadow moves closer into the moonlit ledge and she, despite floating out in the air a foot away – is unarmed.


	20. Chapter 20

_**A/N: **__too much talk._

_**Crimson Tree – Part XX**_

Marceline brings her hands up to her chest, as unarmed as she may be, it did not make her weak when faced with any form of danger. Each fist clenched a little inwards as she took her stance, eyebrows bent deep in expecting attack.

"I-I'm sorry." The raspy or danger-prone voice the vampire expected did not come, yet it was replaced by the reality of a squeaky voice.

"Princess?"

Stepping out while straightening his bowtie, and flooding his striped face with perceivable light, the butler declines, "No. It is, I, Peppermint".

"Oh." Marceline offers, watching as he continues to shuffle to the precipice of the ledge while pulling out the bow folds at his neck.

"You gave me quite the fright, your majesty. I believed for a second that you were someone else," he reasons, now facing the vampire with his hands folded behind his back.

The Queen smiles sheepishly and throws back, "Yeah, well that tends to happen when someone decides to suddenly cram my shoulder from behind". She adds on next, though, as she moves in to sit at the ledge beside the standing butler, "why are you here?"

"Please do forgive me, I only wishe-"

"Forgiven, now on with the explaining," Marceline shrugs while staring out into the open darkness of the night.

"Ah, yes. I only wished to convey an opinion, you will, as a personal adviser to the princess and as a butler in your service," he starts off, an unsure tone pecking at his voice but the string of words keeping his point clear.

The vampire slowly moves her head up, then down and waits for the butler to continue. Her assent given.

The butler lifts his hand to his mouth, and coughs a little clearing his throat and proceeds, "Our princess, she, genuinely is worried of your current state. No offence meant, our kingdom has seldom heard of - let alone - seen a vampire since the Great Mushroom War."

Marceline rolls her eyes, but, continues to listen.

"We are, despite having no connections with either you or the Ice Queen, worried about her current state as well. The Princess does not mean to offend you, because she has believed in hope for the entire span of her life. Since she was born unto a kingdom she was to rule without the care of parents , that which she so vividly observed in other families and their children. Hope was all she had, save us – her servants."

The butler pauses, waiting for response if any but none comes. So, gulping he adds on, "She no longer believes in hope."

Marceline shifts her face, confusion parting her brows. "But you just said it's all she believed in her _entire_ life!"

The butler takes a deep breath in, finalizing, "that is true, but you see Queen Marceline, she now believes in you."

"Me?" the vampire says out loud, making it seem more of a question than a realization.

"Yes, and when she sees the one she believes in," struggling to find a word that isn't intimidating he adds with a motion of his hand, "like this. It is only normal for her to entrust upon you, what she once believed in herself. And that, is hope."

Marceline stretches her arms out in front of her, letting the bandages there pull at the sudden exertion, smiling at the butler she declares, "I understand."

Turning her smile to a smirk with an arching eyebrow, though, she next adds, "But, what I do not understand is how Peppermint the butler has come to know of a conversation between queen and princess."

"Forgive me your majesty, my room door was open and it was terribly audible from within, as my retirement area is the only one that is adjacent to the infirmary." His feet shuffle as he looks down, wondering at the rocky tile if he has committed a sin.

To his surprise, Marceline chuckles, "You little sneak."

A comfortable quiet dawns on them, the butler grateful for the teasing forgiveness he was given and the queen mulling her thoughts about hope and Bubblegum.

"You came here to reassure that I stayed to protect _her_, right?"

Clearing his throat again he admits, "Yes, she trusts you with her safety, and that alone is enough for me to make sure that you stay with her on good terms." Inclining his head, the butler says, "you're a good person despite what is said of your kind".

Twisting her head around to face the butler she notes, "even if I do this?" Before her victim has a chance to turn to face her, she hisses a loud _Kshhhh! _

Dilating his stiffened pupils and shocked demeanor, Peppermint manages, "Y-yes, even if you have the intentionally scary habit of doing _that_!" With a low bow, the butler makes his way out of the tower top, closing the door and feeling that his job as advisor, was more than accomplished.

The queen turns back to look at the door shutting behind her. Closing her eyes she lets the wind play with her mane of hair before looking out at the moon that basked high in the sky.

It was only half full, yet shone in all its silvery glory; blessing the darkness of lands down below with its guiding light.

Marceline tips her mouth up, smiling as she examines the scene before her. The moon's tilted, crescent shape stands out amongst the foggy bits of cloud that pass by, and the vampire cannot help but think, that even it, appears to be sneering back.


	21. Chapter 21

_**Crimson Tree – Part XXI**_

Bubblegum found herself pacing around her room, around the bed, across the tile floor, brushing past the cabinets and only pausing a little at her work desk. Papers still littered its surface, with the occasional ink spills dotting and smudging its way across the polished wood. A single stack remains of documents, awaits its pending signatures and reviews – but the Princess does not attend to them.

Turning so that her hip rests against the desk side, she folds her arms across her chest and steadies herself in quiet contemplation. Propping herself as she leans against the table, she watches the open windows leading to the balcony. She had not yet closed them, not yet. But, she had however, made sure to drag with as much strength as she could gather: Marceline's axe.

It had taken quite the effort to pull across the floor of the balcony form one edge to the outer window pane. It took even more than strain to pull it above the height distancing itself between the wall that held the windows. But she had done it.

It now rested at the foot of her bed – yet again, struggle helped her prop it up against the mattress border.

She spends what seems to be hours watching the window and then occasionally shifts her glance back to the weapon. Sleep does not seem to visit her, nor hints her of tiring eyes or the deepening of the night. The silence blessed enough to leave her wondering in serenity, is broken sooner than expected; the axe's owner comes to rest at the inner part of the open window pane. Her tough leather boots '_click' _as her feet touch glassy tiles.

"Hello, Marceline," the Princess begins, her expression vapid but her tone slightly warm.

The vampire shifts her eyes uneasily from the axe she'd just noticed at the bed to the monarch before her. "Hey, Bonnibelle." Involuntarily, she sweeps with her eyes; the younger monarch from head to toe. Guilty bites prick at her face as she notices the red axe, yet again. _Even after everything I said…_

They watch each other for a while, not too long, just enough for the younger monarch of the two to gather her words and form a little speech – one that is to the point.

"Though it has taken much vigour on my behalf to admit so, I am deeply sorry if I ever offended or upset you in our previous… conversation. I also ask your forgiveness for not understanding why you could not comprehend my idea or theology about our dilemma." Moving her eyes from the direct contact that had started to buzz between them, she concludes, "You are free to leave the palace whenever – not that restrictions were placed on you- but I am in no longer a state of upsetting you."

Marceline's eyes widen for a while, before smouldering back into the depths of her sockets. A cave of shock, maybe even questioning authority, coating its way onto her face.

"The Ice Queen is free to rest and receive medical treatment at the kingdom till she is… well again and ready to leave at her wish," the Princess adds, remembering the still 'asleep' monarch in the infirmary – now guarded and under special supervision.

"Bonni, I-" Marceline clears her throat, pushing down the pride stacks that try to force her words to mumbles. "I'm sorry for what I said, for not accepting what you said."

The other party listens and takes in the repentance, no rejection uttered. The vampire sighs, it had taken much more that she expected to apologize, not, when hadn't done so for the last couple thousand years.

Her voice strengthened, though, as she brought it back to a serious manner, saying, "And besides, I took a vow to protect you and your kingdom - I do not back out of what I vow".

The Princess moved her lips upward, smiling at the honesty pouring out in the vampire's words. So truthful, serious; not like the usual mocking playful atmosphere she claimed over conversation. _So charming._

Returning the smile with a little more enthusiasm, Marceline falters, "that is, only if you wish that I remain by your side".

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Marceline," the Princess accepts, deepening her smile – so genuine that it snakes velvet blushes across the vampire's face.

They both move forward at the same time, the queen clasping her arms around Bubblegum's middle and Bubblegum sliding her hands onto Marceline's back. A thick embrace lifts the former sparkle of tension, soothes out the raging blood at their heads and lifts out the uneasy air that crowded their stomachs. Warmth spread from the Princess' touch through to the vampire's chilled skin, bringing a sense of heat – a sense of comfort.

Marceline breaks the embrace a fraction, as she slips a hand between the faces, lifting up Bubblegum's chin. Their gazes meet, but the taller monarch sears through with her powerful look right into the Princess' eyes. Words are not said, yet conversation seems to be exchanged in that one glance.

Before the queen initiates her next move, the Princess brings their lips together first. The surge of heat growing in the vampire's body – and now face – blossoming into flowers of passion. Bubblegum shivers as Marceline's tongue lightly brushes against her lower lip, asking permission, the vampire's eyes flicker open as well. The Princess parts her lips, acceptance, more than given. She tightens her hold on the queen as the latter's tongue brushes against hers, the chemicals of her alchemist mind flying into the oblivion of ecstasy.

_She smells of roses._ The vampire determines, not that she had she been as fond of their scent as their succulent red taste. Maybe, the princess was as fond of roses as she appeared to be in the portrait, maybe she was interested in the elements of beauty that the flower intrigued people with.

Moving back to place a last kiss on the younger monarch's forehead, Marceline grins satisfied with her reinstatement as bodyguard and as her mind drones on her new title for the princess.

_**My**__ beautiful Bonnibelle. _


	22. Chapter 22

_**A/N: **__finally I reveal the part I've been longing to post. Lord of the rings reference :D _

_PS. Phylactery is an amulet or a charm. You know, power providing source thingy.  
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_**Crimson Tree – Part XXII**_

The Princess found the arms around her loosening, as the vampire spaced herself out a little to examine her face. Just moments before, she had direct lip contact with the same lady, and yet, a peck on the forehead left swishes of heat plummeting at the cheeks.

Marceline watched the Princess' face – enjoying the close proximity between the two. Much like appreciating a fine piece of art, she simply trailed her eyes over the soft lips, pinkish cheeks and came to a stop at the shine in the younger monarch's eyes. The gaze was deep, profound almost, that even if Bubblegum wanted to – she would not be able to break away.

The vampire's thumb ran over the rim of her upper lip, softly tickling in its claim over Bubblegum. "I would stay at these lips, were it not for you having to breathe and for us having duties to take care of. We can't do this now".

Bubblegum blushes deeply. Nodding next, she adds, "Yes, duty does not give way to pleasure for a monarch".

"_Ahem_," Marceline offers, making an unrealistic frown and turning her head in disapproval.

"Ah, yes." Bubblegum corrects, "Does not give way for _two_ monarchs." Reluctantly dragging herself out of the vampire's hold, she hedges, "we have to watch over the Ice Queen, I worry of her stature".

Marceline's brow furrows at the serious nature of their situation- but eases as she compromises, "And, I, must watch over you".

"_And_ my kingdom!" Bubblegum corrects, a smile stretching across her mouth.

"Yes, yes I know._" _The Queen amends, stressing on the subject of her admiration, "But, mostly _you_".

The hours Marceline spends observing the Princess during the early hours of dusk, soon turn into days. The later parts of the night spent watching over Bethany and indulging in the sucking of apples. The earlier fragments of the evenings fill out the training Marceline provided to the Candy Kingdom's strongest sentries, each given an axe of steel as well as the warrior exercises of old. At first, the harsh training which the vampire seemed to give out with ease: proved too difficult for their candy limbs, but with time and perseverance - the soldiers became increasingly strong. Most fought off the occasional ambush by giant candy worms, creatures they once would have been maimed by on contact, but now, chopped into partitions and scared off. The rest went in groups: adventuring out to battle trolls and recover various ingredients for their monarch's alchemic studies.

A week passes as the princess tries countless chemical advances to awaken the monarch, but the Ice Queen does not react. The ice crown, remained within the walls of Marceline's chamber. No further attacks occurred, no further disturbances - save those of intruding knocks on doors of chambers that concealed kisses.

At shade from the kingdom's eyes, the two monarchs would often remain in embrace, studying over tomes together. One book after the other they skimmed through, searching, digging for any way to wake the sleeping immortal. Slightly distracted by the brushing of arms and intimate contact, they finished stack after stack. Titles of everything concerning possession and witchcraft swam through each book they filtered. But to no avail, till one evening a fortnight from soldier training and three weeks from the 'incident' – Marceline stumbled upon the first hint of pure hope to prove potential fruitfulness.

The two monarchs sat next to each other in the vampire's chamber, books guarding them in surrounding mounds and a parchment being scribbled onto as the Princess marked off each title they finished.

"Bonni, look at this!" Marceline calls as she points at a crumpling page of the thick book that lay on her lap. Its cover saved from falling apart by extra binding and its title bearing _'Necromancy'. _Her legs crossed, the Princess turns her scrutiny from a volume of '_Curses and Charms' _to the starting of a paragraph Marceline's finger presses on.

_A necromancer may possess any being, but it can only be done through a phylactery belonging to the necromancer itself or the power provider of the potential possess victim. Normal being of no outer power that is supernatural, may be controlled through their hearts by taking over victim's will power. Beings of supernatural energy and magical abilities can be possessed through the control of the phylactery that provides them power if external, and if internal by destroying bonds of communication – usually the practice of captivating and waiting for the will power of the magic wielder to fail in their cut offs from the outer worlds. _

_Destruction of phylacteries: if belonging to the necromancer destroy the being itself, but if to the victim: the phylactery should be crushed if possible in a full moon's light (the power of the eight sun is mirrored in full moons – causing magical ornaments to weaken and the tradition of werewolves powers to strengthen). _

_Disclaiming note: This form of annihilation if unsuccessful provides only the last attempt of throwing the phylactery into the depths of one of the six ancient volcanic mountains. Usually most successful if they are where the phylacteries were formed. _

"I'm not sure if I understood that perfectly, but I think we both know what this means," Marceline confirms, as the Princess finishes off reading the paragraphs aloud and turns her head to face the Queen.

"This is all we need Marceline, it's all here!" The Princess beams, energy surging through her hands as she bookmarks the page using a fold on its edge. "We now have a lead and a way".

Marceline threads her fingers through Bubblegum's, caressing the top of her knuckles. Her eyes all at once, thoughtful. The other hand clasps over the Ice Crown at her bedside table in a tight clutch.

"Hope did work, Bonnibelle. " Motioning with her head to the simmering lights passing through the windows, she maintains, "What we must do now, has never appeared clearer at a better moment."

The Princess turns her head to follow the vampire's glare, and there, splashing the windows in its milky glow, is a full moon.


	23. Chapter 23

_This is not Part XXIII, but instead it is a small short which I wrote out for this story and I shall be publishing a few other such shorts which are related to the story, though not exactly to the current events taking place. Be assured, this will not delay the posting of the other parts of Crimson Tree. I'll have Part XXIII up tomorrow, or even earlier if I can. _

_**Rushed Nights**  
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Her teeth clenched. Gritting tightly, as she suppressed the wells forming at her eyes. The night air as always was freezing to normal beings, but she, was not a normal being and it offered only a mere breeze against her skin. The large ball gown fluttered about in the wind as did her long manes of hair. A hand at her side fiddling with the various bows on the hem of her waistline and the other hand clenched over a parchment she'd picked up not long ago.

Little bubbles of pain pumped out of her heart, bloating along the way through her nerves and pushing ever so much for a passageway out of her eyes. The tears were crying out themselves, to be free - free of imprisonment by such a shattered heart.

"Oh, Marcy," the lady offered to her destitute self, uttering what her mind ordered her to. But the mention of the vampire woman she once loved, brought neither pleasure nor relief to her immortal soul. No, instead, unrequited love brings forth only pain, at the mention of the beloved's name. At the mention of _her_ name.

But then again, that was what 'love' brought to one such as herself. One who is deathless. She'd have to live with the grief, forever. Unless, she got over the woman and gave up on her feelings. The lady chuckled into the air before her, deep blooms of hazy white gas push out of her mouth into the cool atmosphere. The idea: so cliché and bard song-like. The chuckle: bitter as it was, did at least, press back the tears that threatened to fall.

_Give up on my feelings? Impossible._

Impossible literally. Especially since, the vampire is also an immortal; the lady is damned to seeing her all around the Land of Ooo – forever.

_Forever and ever I'll see Marceline pass me by and my heart will continue to freeze up its shattered pieces. _

Making turns through familiar parts of the snow ridden woods, floating high above the tree tops, the Ice Queen made her way back home after a long night of entertaining maids and butlers than dancing at the royal ball. The landscape remained unchanged everywhere, snow just pouring and forming hills of ice all over. Save for the occasional movement of ice trolls in the Eastern borders of the Ice lands, nothing moved on the ground.

She shrugs her shoulders, as little mounds of snow had settled on the puffed edges at her shoulder blades. Floating into the familiar throne room entrance, she lazily moved her eyes over her lair, searching for Gunter the penguin butler. And, sure enough she found him – fallen on the ground, beak half open.

"Gunter!" she cries as she jumps earth bound to the floor, grabbing the little penguin into her arms. He breathed quietly, but did not awake.

A glint flashes at the Ice Queen's eyes, searching for its source she looks up and her eyes only widen at what she sees next. A dark looming robe at her window ledge, a flash of green, the world fades out in fuzzy grey streams and the Ice Queen sees no more.

The parchment falls to the floor, hitting the icy base as Bethany's head does the same. Shadows fold over her crown, and the totality of the throne room is enveloped in darkness.


	24. Chapter 24

_**A/N: **__I do think I have some shorts being worked on particular things mentioned in this part. Enjoy! _

_**Crimson Tree – Part XXIII**_

The heavy patter of footwear meeting solid rock ground crackled through the corridors of the palace.

Maids were shuffling about, carrying trays to set up dinner for their monarch and other trays to provide for council members, as well. A man servant or two, was running across the bailey, delivering messages and carrying new documents to the main butler's chamber – those which he would later carry off to the princess after marking their importance levels. A golden-brown dog also, leapt its way across stairways and out into the evening chill, his sentry-owner following close behind him mirroring light hair complexion with his blond locks swaying throughout his run. Taking a turn through a back door, he finally took up his shift in the infirmary, shooing off his dog.

But, this particular evening, even Bubblegum and Marceline were running.

The vampire takes long strides, her hand latched around an axe handle. Meanwhile, the princess – who had pulled a heaped trail of royal frock into one hand – pushed herself forward to match the queen's pace as much as she could. A few puzzled servants, paused the polishing of suits of armour and the carrying of bowls to watch their monarch run off in what seemed to be a breath-taking hurry. But most of the audience, decided to take particular notice of the intertwined fingers the princess and her 'queen friend' shared.

The princess is the first to let go, though, as she swims her hand over the knob of the newly replaced infirmary door they had just reached. Twisting the knob in one quick motion: the two monarchs rush in, anticipation clawing at their minds. Minerva swivelled her head back (from the notes she had been taking on the candy cold) much more than startled at the sudden eruption folding out in front of her; something she'd learnt to get accustomed to whenever Queen Marceline was around. The sentries too, baffled as they were, stepped aside clearing a path for the Princess and company to walk into.

"Finn, John, guard duty outside. Now," Marceline exclaims, as she addresses the guards. Turning her head she maintains, "Minerva, please back away – you may get hurt if you stay any closer."

The orders were received well as they were followed in quick response; trust was something she had earned during her stay at the Candy Kingdom, instead of the fear she had once instilled for the first few days of her announcement as royal bodyguard and first lady of Candy Kingdom.

Marceline walks to the window beside Bethany's bed, unwringing the ice crown that encircled the hand that held her weapon. Kneeling down at the little island of moonlight that leaked from the window, she places it neatly in front of her feet. Its white gems glimmer, letting shimmers slide from the core of the large gem in the centre, to pinpoint themselves at the jagged edge the top beheld.

The vampire glances once back to the princess behind her. They both nod in cognition.

Bringing her eyes back to the crown, she stands straight and at the same time swings her axe up three feet above the regal adornment. Risking a last look at Bethany's faded face, she reinstates her goal and brings down the axe with mighty force.

_Crack! _One blow.

She had pummelled the ice crown, first weakening its strong lattice of inner structure.

_Krsssss!_ Second strike.

The breaking of bonds holding ancient power within. Despite being struck with the powerful blows the vampire donned, the crumbling crown still revelled in the grandeur it showed-off: sparkling every so often even as pieces of it fell apart.

_Dsshk! _ Then, finally, she smashed the artefact altogether, breaking any former magnificence it had – breaking any former control it had executed.

A flat ringing sound echoed within the ward as the vampire's axe edge hugged the polished rock floor, rupturing it faintly. Still bent over the plunged weapon, the queen looks right, to the bedside of the Ice Queen. Bubblegum makes her way over to the ice monarch, standing over Betty on the opposite side of the bed watching her for signs of movement. Thuds of excitement –expectation resounded in their heads closely followed by fear, as Marceline and Bubblegum observed how still Bethany remained.

Her once blood drenched ball gown and its long laces, had been swapped for clean dress robes of light colours that once belonged to the princess' late mother. Her hair had been braided on one side, pulled over the arching top of the bed, freeing up the space at her pale neck instead of heaping all around her head. Even gulps of iced water were guided down her throat every evening, bringing a light shine to her cheeks as they\ seemed to fade out of colour – out of life. But the silence that followed her for the past three weeks, was what still, emanated in thick bubbles around her soul.

They had broken her source of power. They did it during a full moon as detailed out in the ancient necromancer's tome. The crown was spattered in slivers all over the island of window shadows and lost to ice powers forever. It was all done, perfectly and flawlessly. And yet, Bethany the Ice Queen did not cackle, did not walk, did not speak and definitely did not budge.

But, the beat that did not emit when the princess checked her pulse, told a whole different story.


	25. Chapter 25

_**A/N: **This is yet again, another short which is a past happening of the story and is not related to current events. Hope you all like it. Please do keep the reviews coming, it's overwhelmingly awesome to know that you've stuck with the story so far and that I actually do have some readers!_

_PS. Novitalizezombie: a phylactery is a charm or amulet. My regard in this case is of one that imbues the user with magical power or is the source for the owner's power. _

_And now, without further ado:_

**Rejecting Our Kind**

Marceline had never liked people who talked too much. At least, speech from any person she disliked was enough to say she disliked any form of company in total. Staying in the ruins of a castle during the Great Mushroom War, she once ended up meeting what appeared to be the last humans that had survived the war. The encounter had been brief, and as familiar as all her 'greetings' with other beings. Beings other than 'demons with fangs'.

The old couple who hung onto each other for a hold as they dragged their weary legs through the swamp, chattered to each other as they moved. Rivulets of water sunk into their thick wrinkles and bags of aged skin on their faces as the rain chittered along in its own way. Between them, they held a young boy of thick brown hair and an infant with little tufts of yellow hair sticking out of the cloth that wrapped its miniature head.

"We ought to keep them safe, Martha!" the old man gasped between falls of water down his throat as the wrinkles expanded on his face when he opened his mouth to speak.

"I know, I know. But where? We could be eaten by Glob knows what out here!" the timeworn woman retorted, stealing a suspicious look around them.

Sighing, he pulls the boy closer as they stumble into the grey blocks of structure that were once a proud castle, but now just a heap of debris. "We're good as gone now, Martha. We might as well save the children. This one 'ere," he points to the boy "is lucky we even found him!"

The boy does not turn, but merely pressed deeper into the old man's hold, whimpering in either gratefulness or clinging to the only guardian he now had.

"You'll be found out quite quick by creatures that eat humans," Marceline retorts as she steps into open view, "if you're going to be as loud as that". Despite it being day, clouds of darkness had fogged up the sky further into the days of war; she could walk around freely. Though, she still did not risk it lest cover was somewhere close: in case the burning rays decided to stop by for formalities. _These humans talk too much. _

Martha held the lump at her chest closer - holding the baby in tighter. Next, she gasped watching the young lady before her lift into the air and did what she had seen no other demon of the night do. Not at least in the threatening way she had once seen.

The vampire smiled.

"You're-"

"Yes, old sir. I am a vampire." Marceline frowned. Even genuine smiles did not seem to remove fright from these human souls. Well, any souls that encountered _our kind. _

"I couldn't help but overhear, but you want the children safe, right?" Marceline questioned, her arms slowly crossing over her chest.

The old man opened his mouth, a little stunned and did not close it but settled to letting it hang like that. Trying to register his thoughts as fast as his aged mind allowed, he was not first to answer; his wife stepped forward instead.

"Yes."

The old man turned his head, flaring open his eyes, silently arguing. _What in the name of Glob are you doing, Martha? The woman has finally lost it!_

"I can let you reside here in this castle, but I'm going to have to carry you across one by one. The rock-piled debris further in won't help you climb. Not when you're- um, old." Marceline offers, her arm outstretched in Martha's direction, beckoning calmly.

The old woman eyes her husband -eyes answering in the quiet between them. _What other chance do an old couple fair against a war-ridden world?_

"Then kind lady, please take me first," Martha finally agrees.

Placing the infant in her husband's arms as she is slowly lifted off her feet and taken to the back of last amount of cover that the castle provided. The old man watches in disbelief as his wife disappears in the hands of a demon in the dark corner of the tunnel in front of him.

Bending his chin down to watch the little boy tugging at his weather-worn cloak, he assures, "we're going to be fine, the others will come soon." Facing his eyes back to the tunnel, his eyes cloud with uncertainty and he is unable to reassure himself of the same words - without lying.

The lady returned and yet again, stretched out her now bare arms. He eyes them cautiously, looking behind her into the dark of the tunnel.

"Where's Martha?"

"I'm here, you old nut! Now hand over the children to the lady and stop the hostile nature, Charles!" The old woman made it a point to shout loud enough from one end of the inner castle, so that the aged man's ears perceived the shrill order in perfect volume.

Grumbling, he reluctantly passes over the boy, "_Shhh_, don't worry. You'll be fine. This nice lady, will help us." The boy's eyes flutter from his new guardian's face to the demon before him, carefully he steps into her arms but nearly yelps as he is thrown to one side of her shoulder.

"I can take the baby as well, sir. They aren't as heavy as human adults tend to be." Marceline balanced the boy on one shoulder, taking in turn the baby into a cradle at her other arm. Turning around, once again she floated through the castle opening.

It was dark within, no light emanated inside save for a flickering glow at the end of the dark hallway. The tunnel was once the grand hall of the Duke of the sea-men, but he too, Marceline had seen as a corpse slaughtered and impaled with blood. Save for his trident, nothing more could show that the pile of soulless bones and flesh, were once the duke's powerful body. The boy's eyes sparked a little orange as it came to reflect the single candle that burnt in the middle of the stairwell where Martha had taken refuge. As he was let down, he flung his body at her feet and lay there in the warmness her rags induced, shuffling in closer to bury himself in the cloth. The infant was carefully placed in the elder woman's arms, still asleep.

"Oh Glob! Save ye wretched soul! Glob! Mother! Martha!" The cries resounded within the stairwell, flowing in from the debris entrance in which the swamp had started.

Marceline's eyes narrowed, she motioned for company to stay in place, as she rebounded taking her 'floats' back to the swamp edge. What met her there, was something she did not wish to see. Something she did not expect see, since seeing the duke of sea-men.

The old man lay at the edge of the swamp. His face taken of any colour, it had already been drained of. Thick cuts embellished his belly, the blood pouring in streams down the river, mingling with the rain water that freshly wet his abdomen.

"What have you done?" a voice cried, as the lady bent in front of him watching him die in slow agony.

"Rest kind sir, your last moment draws close and I have kept your family safe," was all Marceline managed. Calming the dying man, as Marceline had heard of, is a practice that helps a soul rest at ease once gone. The man did not reply as his last breath did not sound, and he was lulled into a deep sleep his tired eyes longed, for by the songs of death's harp.

Swinging a bow into place at his shoulder, an arrow drawn the young human across the swamp yelled, "What have you done, you demon?"

Knocking the arrow into place the young man continues, "It is you who has done this unto our people! And to every poor soul who had been left as so! I'll kill you!" With that, he drew the arrow back, but before he let it go – but seconds he had taken to do all movement – the fanged demon was gone.

"Son, is that you?" Responding to the call, the man trudged across the swamp and on to find his mother. The vampire was nowhere to be seen.

Carrying the axe she had so long trained with, the one she had so long recovered from the dead Vampire King as she claimed the throne (about a fortnight's battle from this very day), Marceline smiled to herself. The smile was no longer the positive tone as meant by the expression in general, but one hooked with pity – sorrow, even. _Once again, the demon is blamed. Even after I've destroyed his soul, my kind- no, I: am loathed. _


	26. Chapter 26

_**Crimson Tree – Part XXIV**_

_An immortal does not hold a heartbeat. An immortal who is possessed, on the other hand, does obtain a beating heart. This is due to the legendary fact that, only beings of mortality (but with supernatural power) or beings of temporarily prolonged life may possess an immortal – passing on their mortal heartbeats in the process._

Her pupils, even if they were closed, retained a starting buzz as light tried to penetrate her guarding eyelids. Slowly a jolt of energy surged, starting at her chest and working its way throughout her body. Lightly ending at the top of her head and basing itself as well, at the soles of her feet. The energy she realized later, was a rush of blood. Not the kind that kept humans going as their body pump, double-circulated the red liquid everywhere, but the return of power to her soul. The return of will power to her hands.

Queen Bethany's eyes flickered open.

The sudden amount of brightness that barred her vision, fogged up her mouth as well. As she slowly pushed herself up on what appeared to be the white sheets of a bed and turned her head to the shadows beside her, she waited a few minutes away. There were other white beds around hers, what appeared to be nurse hurdled on one side of a wall, two human guards watching in shock from a doorway and someone else beside her.

As her eyes focussed on the arms that had reached out to hold her straight, she winced into the face of a pink-haired lady. She had a tiara placed on her head and her eyes showed softness which seemed to somehow fit along with the sharp features that spaced out the rest of her face. _The pretty pink faced princess. _

A gush of air knocked out of her right-side as arms locked around her back. Turning to face the employer of such a sudden jump, she came into thick bundles of black hair puffing at her face. The hair moved back, though, as the strong features and toothy grin of the vampire she had known so long came into view.

"Marcy," the queen whispered, letting the name encompass the silence of the ward. The vampire smiled in return, unbeknownst to all: biting the inner part of her lip to refrain any welling up of eyes or such sentimental behaviour, too often. Returning the hug, Bethany next does what neither monarch (of the two who weren't in comma) expected. Letting go of Marceline, she spontaneously reaches out to pull in the Candy Kingdom princess, into a firm embrace.

"I know that I do not know you as much, but it is clear that you have aided. Marcy trusts you, so do I". Taking a breath as if to accentuate her point, she adds, "Thank you".

A bit startled that these are the first string of words that empty from the Ice monarch's mouth, the princess gives a tight squeeze in a 'you're welcome' manner and moves back grinning.

A sudden clench pulls at Bethany's middle, clasping her hand at the bed sheet, her face clouds into a serious expression. Her eyes sweep across the room, from the shattered pieces of ice on the floor -which she does not understand - to the window beside it. Taking in the surroundings like water, she notes the wall's brick layers of painted white, the tiles at the bed flooring made of fine graphite and the overhead chandelier candles along with the candles that burnt around the room. The pang of pain resurfaces as the queen clutches her stomach on impulse, her eyes shutting closed and her head bending in.

"Are you okay?" the Princess rushed forward to steady the tipsy queen at her shoulders as Marceline lifts Bethany's chin slightly upward so she can answer.

Stifling the chuckle fumbling at her throat, she urges, "I'm hungry."

Waiting for the eruption of laughter that echoes around the infirmary to slowly calm down – even by the guards who had expected the worst of the queen's condition – she adds," But we must talk once food is had, if you would be kind enough to provide so, princess." Tipping her head in an ironic bow she addresses the younger monarch.

Curtsying in return, Bubblegum assents, "Of course, your highness."

Marceline laughs at the display of chivalry by the two ladies. Each grinning at the other as they take a second round of bowing and tipping of chins, amused by how well they played along. Finn the guard granted freedom of his post, runs off to find his golden dog, John the second-in-guard runs home to his wife and Minerva settles down for a cup of tea, as the events of the evening drizzle out of her mind with each strong sip.

As the company of monarchs guided the finally woken queen out of her bed and to the washroom of the princess, no one notices the shattered bits of ice crown. Little green glimmers leave its shards and flow off into the night sky and disappear altogether. Gone.


	27. Chapter 27

_**A/N: **__How cool would it be if you guys could pretty please with a cherries and lots of bubblegum on top review, so I do know that posting up part after part has left me with some readers? To those of you who have reviewed up till now, my endless thanks and love. Now without further ado:_

_**Crimson Tree – Part XXV **_

Numerous platters of food were brought in and out of the dining hall. From diced onions with roast beef to caramelized treacle with cherry sauce. Maids rushing back and forth, most In need of attending to their monarch and her guests, the other longing for a long night of sleep. Wafts of scent rose and spread its way from the kitchen, straining at each person's nose as the final plates for the night were finished.

"Oh my glob! These beans taste _so_ good, like you should try them, Lady!" Princess Elisse exclaims, continuing to cram the cooked lentils in front of her as she speaks.

Lady Rainicorn sitting across the Lumpy Space royal: gives an uneasy nod – clearly not about to take any beans. Not just because she wasn't very fond of them, but since the whole lot was nearing a quick end as Elisse vehemently refilled her plate.

Reaching the edge of the table, Peppermint Butler offers to Queen Marceline a bowl of freshly plucked apples. As she thanks him and cradles the bowl in her lap and commences her 'eating'. He moves onto confer with the princess who sits at the head of the table.

Standing beside her, he states, "the room for the Ice Queen has been prepared just as you asked, Princess". He clears his throat. "A corridor before Queen Marceline's room".

Nodding the Princess concurs with the arrangement.

On her left, sitting across the vampire queen, Bethany's eyes widened, a little taken back by the immense hospitality she was experiencing. Not because she was a royal personage, but because she was the very queen who nearly murdered Bubblegum – intentional or not. The frequent looks she got from the two guards – Finn and John – on duty that night, clearly showed they disapproved her somewhat. She didn't blame them.

Gesturing to the butler and next motioning with her head to the princess, Bethany finally speaks, "Thank you".

She had not spoken the entire course of the meal, occasionally popping a tart into her mouth subsidising the hunger raking at her stomach. She turned once in her seat to pass a plate of beans to Lady who sat beside her and in turn watched Lady snake her long body across the table to land the platter at a full-mouthed Elisse. More than once, she caught the looks of a young maid watching her from her station at the wall (plate refilling duty, tonight more fervently obviously). Her mind fumed with thoughts in the newly brought consciousness that plagued her afresh. _I've been gone for three whole weeks. _Unable to place more effort into thought – something her recovery had altered – Bethany resumed listening to the flurry of conversations flung around the table. But even normal audible words seemed new and foreign in the void she'd been lost in for much too long.

"Beans!"

"The constitution of the parliament placed a few decades back.."

"Where is that cute dog?"

"More apples, please"

"So, this cause issues with pregnancy between different species-" "Oh, now really, Bonni?"

"What the glob about dogs?"

"Where is the golden dog? We don't see such ones at the multihorn palace!"

"I once, told Brad he couldn't have a dog… It was awesome!"

"Yes, Marceline. Vampires may impregnate at will through their sucking of blood. I've read of it depending on intention".

"Cool. I like that. Sounds just wonderful if I had a _spouse"_

"Beans!"

The last thing she heard, made sense though. "Bethany?" Turning her head to face the fanged being across her, she nodded.

Marceline had been closely watching the Ice Queen, she didn't eat as much despite her aforementioned hunger, neither did she speak at all. Even more, her face had pulled down, a certain strain seemed to bulge at her eyes. A steady pulse throbbing at the vein that visibly showed through her skin at the left temple. The vampire asks, "Are you okay?"

Taking a moment to process the question and formulate the answer, Bethany replies a little hoarsely, "Yes, I am well. I just need some air". Standing up she addresses the company, the princess in particular as head host, and declares, "I'll be at the open veranda".

With a wave of her hand she dismisses the guards, who rush into escort her. Lifting the cloth of the dress of a former monarch from trailing the ground, she moves swiftly across the washed floors of ebony. Stepping over the small jut in the ground at the change of tiles – a signal the veranda open to the evening stars lay ahead – she relaxes at the gush of night wind that curls at her cheeks. The chill: comforting her somewhat. Her hair still lay in a neatly braided pattern at her back, a few stray hairs from the much shorter fringe sprawled across her forehead. Even if the dress remained about half a foot below her ankles, its thin material and silky texture did well to let in the cooling air circulating the area. What would send chills up spines, sent calming caresses of comfort around Bethany's body. Reaching up, she pats the empty bundle of hair at the top of her head.

_My crown. _

"Chilly out here tonight, Betty". The vampire starts, as she slowly floats her way over to the Ice monarch and comes to a stand beside her. "Just the way you like it".

Bethany smiles as she places a hand on Marceline's shoulder. "Yes, cold and wonderful". Her smile faltering she adds, "you destroyed my crown, right?"

Bending her lips to a frown, the vampire agrees, "Yes". Twisting her chin she pushes on, "Sorry about that". The smile returns to the Ice Queen's face, still looking at the nothingness the area had to offer.

"My powers are gone. I'm still immortal, but the powers are completely gone." Hunching her shoulders up as if to relax them as well, she offers, "I'm just glad I'm no longer possessed".

Marceline does not reply at first, slowly preparing herself to question the distraught friend before her. Removing the hand off her shoulder, she holds it tightly in between her palms. A breeze curling at her neck now and then, recoiling at the inside of her tunic.

"What happened to you?"

Examining the side of the face the Ice Queen showed, she lastly questions, "_Who_ did this to you, Betty?" Thick anger seeming to rise in her voice as the second question lingers out into the open. Floods of laughter slice through the air from the dining hall, disturbing the still zone the veranda hosted.

"It's _him_, Marcy". Worry pitched through the shaky voice of the silver-haired lady; she closes her eyes to calm her mind.

"He's back," Bethany concludes, "and he's after you".


	28. Chapter 28

_**A/N: **__if drawing was something I excelled at, I would love to detail out by art the dress the Ice Queen wears. In my mind, her long silver hair and the laces gathered all around the garment truly bring out a form of divineness in her. _

_Please review!_

_**Crimson Tree – Part XXVI**_

Silence often has its own way of acting as the inducer of different situations. In most, it allows free space to drift into the vastness of one's own world. In other cases, it is the causer of the most excruciatingly painful uneasiness. Currently, the silence that filled between Bethany and Marceline, momentarily allowed them both to settle their nerves. The former with her arms folded over her chest looked deeply at the latter, who seemed all but vapid.

The vampire remains quiet tracing the lines of the bandages wrapped around her arms with her eyes. Retracing her gaze back to the now star-glittered night, the Ice Queen sighs. The rasp of air that leaves, fogs up slightly at her lips.

"My final prophecy was much too accurate". Straightening, Bethany urges, "This was inevitable, Marce. And now, the princess is involved as well-"

"But I destroyed him! He can't have already reincarnated!" Marceline interrupts, the tension in her voice progressively tightening. The Ice monarch shakes her head sadly. The fanged monarch's hands turn into fists as she asks, "_He_, did this to you?"

The Queen senses the rage boiling, in purple swells at the vampire's pointed ears, slightly bruising her cheeks and forehead as well. History often repeats itself whether it's choking at a ball twice on the same night or whether it's explaining the details of a blurry attack to an angry vampire. Bethany had indeed choked twice at the conference ball, but she was also about to do some enunciation of battle for yet another time with the angered Marceline. The first during the prophecy, and the second: right now.

"After I left for home, I entered the hall through the usual top window and I saw Gunter splayed across the floor, Marcy," hedges Bethany, croaking slightly as she mentions the disremembered penguin butler. "I rushed forward to help him, and before I could look up, one of his blasted minions knocked me out". She runs a hand through the plaits she'd brought to the front at her chest. "I still can't believe I was taken on that easy".

"You've always been easy," the vampire smiles, but shrugs as well, expecting the rest of the encounter. Bethany scowls.

"And from there on it was a blur, I could feel my will power fighting against the control – it wasn't a complete possession. But, twice I gained a certain form of control over my immovable body, when I heard you saying Betty."

Marceline grins as she confirms, "that was before I knocked you out, I was yelling at you questioning your sudden need to wrestle us". The queen frowns, yet again, at the vampire's random humour.

_How charmingly inappropriate, she is. _

"Next thing I know, I'm in a lengthy dress at the Candy Kingdom and wake up to people telling me that I'm three weeks out-dated and that I should have a dinner of beans". Marceline chuckles at the summed up ending; Betty was definitely recovering.

_Ahem. _ A clearing throat strains from the dining hall doorway. They both turn to find the bowing butler. "Queen Bethany, your chamber and any form of treatment you require have been placed within it. If you wish so, I may guide you to the room now or at a later time". Concluding he bows again, offering a kind smile to the vampire queen and awaits response. Bethany has a round of whispered conversation with the vampire, lasting of but only an exact 6 minutes. Finishing off, she merely states, "Tell the princess", nods to the butler and steps over the tile jutting on her way out. The light-coloured robes trail along the flooring in light scratching sounds, despite the weak attempts Bethany gave at holding the folds up. Smiling at the full guests now picking at their empty plates and now chatting with newly arrived visitors (of relation to the princess), the Ice Queen says her pleasantries for the night, retiring to the confines of her new chamber.

Meanwhile, all guests similarly make the journeys back to their palaces, houses and in the case of Bubblegum – her chamber. The guards dismissed once again, Marceline accompanies her instead.

Their shadows jog against the tiling of the ground and the tapestries of the walls. The shadows played about, often brushing against sharp turns on the pathway and bending low at the chandeliers lighting each mid-corridor fresco. The frescos depicting: battling candy soldiers taking on a raid of goblins, the royal family, the growing orchards & plants. What stood most among them all was the west wing's entrance corridor fresco. Marceline deemed it as one of a huddle of dark figures much shorter than herself, melting – falling, before flashes of light and ginormous flora. _Familiar and odd._

"Princess?" Marceline addresses as they near the stairway to Bubblegum's room. "Hmm?" the former hums back, looking back over her shoulder to where the taller woman had stopped. Not stopping, Bubblegum ascends the stairs as the queen edges forward of her own accord. "What is it?" Bubblegum uses proper words this time, as she asks and open the door to her chamber. Spilling into the familiar surroundings of the bedroom, Marceline moves straight for the weapon at the nightstand.

"I'm leaving tonight," she deplores. A reluctance seeping through her words, though, her mind had been made up. The princess shuts the door immediately, turning much too fast to be calm – to confirm what she heard. Noticing the anxiousness springing at Bubblegum's face, Marceline assures, "I will be back, soon".

"W-why?" Bubblegum manages, confused thoroughly. She moves in to place her palm on the taller woman's face, caressing it – accepting the usual current that ran through her fingers upon contact with the cool, soft skin. Marceline pushes into the touch, arms at her side, and an axe in her hand – enjoying the relief that spread through her tensed nerves at the younger lady's brush.

"You'll be protected by Bethany and the two head sentries day and night, don't worry," the vampire reassures. "You soldiers are now, so much more effective at guarding, too".

Bubblegum stresses her ignored query, "Why?"

The queen lets her fangs protrude from the basket of her lips, amused by the persistent nature the princess put forth. "I have some work to attend to," she maintains, "at the Ice castle".


	29. Chapter 29

_**A/N: **Another shrt, and as requested I will be posting these separately from this story. I've only posted them along with this since they are of the same universe. And fear not, new parts will be updated today since I've made you all wait long enough. Enjoy and review!_

_**Brandishing Katanas**_

She was alone tonight.

Not another person would be awake at this time – well, at least not any of the servants of the palace. Worked to the bone but satisfied with a grand meal the head chef had treated them with, they'd all retired to the sanctity of their respective maid quarters and chambers. A heavy night of sleep awaiting them, at the comfort of fluffed up sheets in the chilly night's breeze. But, she did not go to bed; instead, she was out and about in the empty halls. The flamed torches that lit up the corridors there, spun light, jittery shadows at her feet. They increased and decreased, respectively, in length at each torch she encountered and left.

The hem of her gown tugged a little as she pressed head first against the side of a red bricked wall, her face adjacent to the structure: she scanned the next corridor for any beings. Not a person in sight. Her apron slightly bruised brown now as she had mopped herself against the wall, a bit too much.

_Fwack! _Out, she brandished her deadly and harmful weapon. Its edge all bristled and ready to take blood should battle arise. Its hard wooden handle made of the finest wood in the kingdom. And its wielder, the bravest heroine of them all.

Steeping away from the cover of the wall into the next corridor, the lady made a sudden dash. Taking light hops in combat stance, while swinging her lethal katana at the imaginary foes that dared to approach her.

Fiona the maid and her trusty broom, had yet more adventure to seek.

Ripping free the servant hat tied at her head she let long mops of blonde hair stream around her neck, the longer ones reaching the upper part of her spine. The hat with the two odd, floppy points she'd stitched on, allowed her much mocking from the other maids, but they were no one to judge the 'fearless adventurer'. Nay, they were but a test of courage when facing criticism.

She tied the custom made hat onto her left shoulder, its two points, upward now as she secured the adornment. _Just like two spikes on shoulder guards. My armor is ready. _Fiona's eyes smile in menacing delight and the play takes place.

_Out front, turn, swipe. _The hero lurches out, lifting her mighty katana with both hands and swiveling back fast enough, to strike the troll right across its ragged chest.

_Hold onto apron – don't trip- roll on ground next to wall. _A large club comes crashing at her from the right, grabbing the ancient battle robes she's wearing; she takes a dive at the rocky floor: rolling out of the way and into safety.

_BAM! Kick enemy's belly, stab in heart, spin to the right and knock out puny minion. _And just as her thoughts echoed orders, the hero does so – all enemies down, her katana dripping with blood. Panting slightly at the theatrical fight scene she acted out, Fiona ended it with a throw of the hand which held the broom up into the air. _Victory! _

"Playing around at night now, are we?" a voice crooned from behind the hero, its tone mocking in every possible way.

In large rushes of blonde hair, Fiona turns to face her unexpected spectator. Her upper lip shivers as she calls out, "Ice Queen."

"The one and only," confirms the queen as she tosses back a lock of silver hair, that had nestled at her neckline. For a moment she examines the young lady before her, hair all out, a ridiculous garment tied at her shoulder and a broom now, held at her side.

"I-is there something you need, your majesty?" Fiona finally manages, disturbed by how intently she was being watched. _**She**__ has no right to judge me, these are not working hours and I __**was **__alone. _

"Oh nothing," the queen offers, as she takes small strides towards the other lady. "I was just wondering about and happened to come upon your - um, little performance we could say." Fiona could feel the rush of heat to her cheeks and faint throbbing at her neck, too. She could also feel the mocking from all the other servants, boiling up in the queen before her, another test of courage – another teasing to brave. After all, she was an adventurer and trials must be had from all classes of society.

But, what the Ice Queen said next, she did not expect at all.

"I'm impressed," the queen says, standing right in front of the maid. Giggling, as a light pink rises across her pale face, the Ice Queen leans in and places a little kiss on the maid's cheek. Her lips icy but oddly, warm at the same time linger for a while at Fiona's face. All the while, Fiona does not budge, hand still clutched around the broom handle and face, now, burning up much too quickly.

The queen whispers as she draws back, "You should come to my palace and show me how you do _all that_."

"Yeah – um, sure. I'll do that," the maid blurts out. Her mind slowly processing the invite - much too personal, to be a job offer. "Thank you, Ice Queen." Fiona really was grateful. Not just for the kiss, not just for the invite but also because no one had found her "fighting" any form of impressive up till now. Rather it was dubbed as childish and mostly, just the foolish daydreaming of a nutty servant.

"I shall be Bethany and you shall be Fiona, okay?" The queen clarifies, "No titles, not between us."

_Us. _ The last word repeats in the maid's mind as she smiles and nods.

Moving to a side with her large puffed white dress following her, Bethany the Ice Queen readies herself to walk the rest of the corridor ahead. She turns her neck a little to the left before leaving, whispering, again, "I'll see you around then, my hero."

"Definitely," Fiona the hero replies as she grins at the empty passageway in front of her. _Victory…_


	30. Chapter 30

_**A/N:** It's been a long wait, but I am well and just haven't been able to post up new parts. I hope you all enjoy this and please don't forget to review._

_**Crimson Tree – Part XXVII**_

Often, weather changes in a place, never remaining the same for too long. Shifting in some way, even a little so as to change its texture in the air and its feel on your fingertips. At times wafts of blinding heat surge forth from the sun seeping into the pores of your skin and lightly cooking you fine. Most times in the Ice Kingdom, though, snow-capped hills and mountains scattered like the play toys of a giant: usually left its visitors chilled. The cold finds a way to circulate within your bloodstream through each breath you take, claiming dominion over blood temperature and enhancing the irritation a slow trek in snow left one with. As far as ice trolls could see, snow blessed their land north to south. Ice storms and pine trees inhabited their lands from east onwards to the western body of water that edged the kingdom. All in all, visitors weren't quite always welcome.

The chill did not affect Marceline as much, just leaving slight shivers at her forearms and a few goose bumps on the nape of her neck. Dodging the tops of a taller pine tree of two, she landed lightly on the zenith of a snow-capped hill. Soft mould formed on the snow her boots claimed and swiftly turned into compressed ice, as the queen leaned forward on one knee examining the two black blurs racing across the ground far below. The smaller of the two followed by a yellow streak, as well.

She really hadn't needed them. But, the princess had insisted.

She watched as her top sentries worked together along with the shaggy dog one of them brought along; as scouts. Careful and able to withstand the freezing temperature – that which would ice out starchy limbs – the two humans crept at a fast pace through various bushes and dull greenery within the refines of the forest, blocking a clear path by foot to the main mountain of Bethany's castle. Occasionally, the young man of thick blond locks paused as his canine companion, sniffed the earth, letting the pores of his wet nose loiter around the ground – searching, sensing. After a moment of contemplation, it barks and Finn signals up to the queen with a wave of his hand. The other sentry – John, namely – sighs as he continues to run after the leaping young boy. The excitement pumping out of the smaller human, quite evidently surpassing the latter's.

But the point was out, the path ahead by ground, was, as dictated by a dog's growl: dangerous. Swooping off the hill into a low floating dive, but centimetres from grazing the ice ridden steep of land, Marceline curved off to the two sentries running up ahead.

"Slow down, Finn," she hisses, floating fast beside the boy. His run slowly retracts to a jog, as does his dog's pace as well. "Better?" he asks, offering an open mouthed smile.

Marceline nods, rolling her eyes at the same time. The boy was great at his post, but he was still, a young lad. His armour clunked regularly ts his exaggerated jogs forward; pressing his arms to the shoulder plates. Sword clanging at this side equally loudly.

"Stop".

Both sentries froze in place, hands grasping around hilts and eyes narrowed as they listened carefully. The dog, followed pursuit. Marceline pushed off the sentries to two opposite trees with a wave of her index finger: left, then right. Next, she sliced a palm that faced downward through the air at her eyes. _Be at the ready. _

Unsheathing her own axe, she steps out from the thick cover of forestry and moves into the open space of puffed, white slush. Before her a large road of white opened up, ending at the curving slope of a large mountain. A few dark hollows rested at its top, giving the inanimate mountain a somewhat facial feature of eyes against its pale white skin. Silently, without trudging on the snow, she moves up: scanning the pathway below. _No footprints. _

Shifting her gaze upwards, Marceline flashes through the air and right into one of the large, open hollows. Despite the Ice Kingdom, being almost what appeared to be a tundra of emptiness – the interior of the ice castle embedded in the mountain, mirrored its surroundings with a somewhat, more hospitable nature. A few lamps – unlit, of course – trailed the walls of the corridor she'd entered. A frame depicting the young Queen Bethany and an older, similar white-haired man glared down at the space beneath the mantle. A red carpet spun its way across the entirety of the area: through pathways, up stairs, down to cellars, even recoiled within lavatories. Familiar with the paths due to the visits she paid once, long ago, to Bethany's hallways – Marceline makes her way to the throne room. Ice statues of various poses lined the halls, chandeliers of ever-glowing golden lights shimmered onto the sneering faces carved into the statues, basking them in a shining glow. Marceline sniffed the air, once – twice. A strong pungent scent had filled up the air near the throne doorway.

Two huge doors of metal stood in the way, one slightly ajar.

Lifting the axe up in front of her face, the vampire presses its tips into the door, pushing it open with a loud _Grech! _Stepping into the room with her axe body over her face, her defensive manoeuvre coming into play as she enters the giant throne room. Her eyes slowly tense up over the form of a dark lump in the middle of the room. A generous amount of snow had settled atop the still body of the beaked creature. All at once, the pungent smell revealed itself to be, none other than the dry blood that enveloped parts of the snow at the penguin's chest. It had trailed its way down to its stubby flipper and dried there too. A fallen parchment lay beside it, as well, and that too was crimsoned with dry, red splodges.

Marceline's brow rises into arched defeat. Bending down, she brushes aside the piles of snow and places a hand on the head of the dead penguin.

"Oh, Gunter".


	31. Chapter 31

_**Crimson Tree - Part XXIX**_

Thick, fiery flames crackled about at the base of the palace grounds. A fire blazed within the flat heating pot afore the entrance staircase. Each flame lashed out into the air, grabbing out in heated wisps – fighting to grow taller than its colleagues in silent competition. Oft, the crackles left bits of soot fading in through the air that surrounded the charring wood. A few specks of black soot landed at the feet of Princess Bubblegum, whereas the smoke wafted about Queen Bethany's legs. They both beside each other on the steps, legs out front and arms at sides. The hour was late, and hence, save for the occasional entry: no one was around to see royalty gauzing the bottoms of their dresses with a dusty seat of steps.

"Yes, indeed I predicted this coming". Bethany's words flew out into the still evening.

Waiting for the vampire queen and her companions, had become a task that stretched further into the evening and the worry eluding any form of patience: was starting to show. The two monarch's had been sitting for quite a while, encompassing what time was filled with awkward moments of silence, by talking of the current dilemma.

Amending her previous words, Bethany adds, "Prophesised is the correct word, actually".

Bubblegum feels her teeth chatter within the domains of her mouth, it wasn't chilly but, talking of demons, vampires and finally prophecies of the Lich king – left an uncertain feeling of trepidation. Placing balled up fists within the centre of her lap, she urges, "prophecy?"

Bethany nods, "Yes, my ice powers once allowed me to prophesize various occurrences. A divinely set of stanzas from the Oracles speak from my voice and usually, always concerns battles within Ooo and Aaa". Clarifying she states, "I had a revelation of the Lich King's return centuries back".

Gladly accepting the distraction from the anxiety of the missing vampire, Bubblegum shifts her body slightly to the left. Now, facing the Ice Queen, she queries, "and this revelation came as a set of stanzas?"

"Yes, very classical, as all prophecies are". Brushing off the specks of soot that had made little hills at her feet, she recites:

"Where life was over-blooming, he could not be.

Where axe had struck him, he could not see.

Now that time has swiftly gone, he will be back again.

With no flesh and only bone, he will seek revenge."

The Princess swallows the words easily, spacing out each part as she tries to comprehend its meaning. But, before she is to ask of what 'revenge' was due-

"Life was over-blooming is a clear indication of what the Lich despises. You see, he may not enter domains where any form of life resides," Bethany concludes, "from limbed creatures like us to various flora and greenery".

The Princess soaks up every explanation, waiting for more, she keeps quiet. The Ice Queen seemed to know so much of this, so much Marceline hadn't told her. She'd read of the Lich once, maybe as a child but - it was an old tale. A tale, supposedly told to scare the discipline-needing children of the Land of Ooo, one that was hardly spoken of save to the children of decades and decades back. Either way, the Lich was a demon who ate naughty children. But, what the Ice Queen began to explain of him revolted the inners of the younger monarch's belly.

The Lich is a large creature structured together completely of decaying bones and at times, rotten tissues as well. The mixes of various substances tend to ooze through the fleshless parts of his body, and what is covered with skin, is a blackened grey skin stressed back into the corners where his limbs bent. Though, what stands out the most, probably, is the dim glows of hazy green that take the place of his eye sockets – here too bits of decayed skin are pulled back, but in a tighter manner flashing puss-filled veins and the occasional maggot. Upon the skull head he owns, rest two large curvatures that depict the semblance of horns, save that one is only completed half way – unequal in length to the other. Draping the entire demon, is a hooded garment – much like a dark wizard's robe – covering the deep wells of bloody caverns lining his middle and clinging to the crooked warp of his spine. Apparently, the child scaring tale had left out the tasty bits.

Bubblegum's stare lasted a few minutes, as she snapped back to the reality of her situation and away from the images of the fiend caving into her mind. The Ice Queen had placed a hand on her shoulder, forcing a somewhat disheartened smile, she assures, "your kingdom is over-grown with trees and the axe that struck him was in this very area – he can't reach you physically".

Bubblegum feels a thud at her chest. "This area? When?"

Bethany's expression wavers to a grim setting, she complies, "It was in a time before you existed, Princess. This very land was a war zone, and it was in the grounds beside this palace that his physical form sunk to the ground when an axe struck his then, mortal heart". A glare forms at the queen's face. "But, he is a necromancer and it was only a matter of time till his soul returned to seek what he sought then".

"And, what is that which he seeks?" The princess turns her body to completely face the queen, instead of the side glance she previously adorned.

"What the temporarily immortal seek, is the immortality of those with no limit or source". The words hung in the midst of the air for a while. "The only way he may approach this kingdom is in another's body – possession. He requires not my immortality and powers as the latter comes-"

The Princess interrupts, "From your ice crown."

The Ice Queen smiles, approving, "yes, and that isn't stable or permanent. It is the same immortality which is unhindered that he comes after once more, just like in the time of the war. But now, he also seeks revenge".

Taking part in the deep inhalation of air, Bubblegum ponders aloud, "revenge on whom?"

The queen answers, "The one who axed him apart, of course." A sigh blows onto the fire with slight pushes in front of them. "Marceline, the queen of vampires with her powers and untainted immortality".


	32. Chapter 32

_**A/N: **__Thank you all __**very**__ much for continuing to stick with this story and for all the kind reviews you've given, they really mean a lot to me. If you have any criticism or doubts, please do feel free to lay them on me (they are not-so-secretly __**demanded**__ of you)._

_Isabella012: John the human is one of the last humans in the Land of Ooo, he exists merely because his ancestors (much like Finn's) live through the Great Mushroom War!_

_**Crimson Tree – Part XXX**_

Following the Ice Queen's quite uninterestingly stated revealing of the axe wielder, Bubblegum's face floods out of colour. Not that she couldn't imagine Marceline doing the act of axing, but merely the idea itself that, she, could single-handedly face off what –as per Bethany's description- appeared to be an undefeatable demonic king. As if sensing the Princess' thoughts, Bethany interrupts the flow.

"Yes, surprising. I know."

Another length of silence deploys itself between them. Bethany thinking back to the days of the war, Bubblegum registering the events of said war. A good hour had passed since their 'chat' had started, temporarily heaving off the missing subject of their talks, but no more. The worry doubled-tripled, even, increasing further with encouraging whisperings of revengeful fiends. All at once, letting Marceline go off seemed to be the poorest decision the princess had made. _Straight into the teeth of danger. _

The older monarch sweeps her eyes over the expanse of the courtyard grounds, absorbing the shadowed images of a few fountains, some candy shrubs and the open archway – the same entrance the pair felt their eyes returning to, expectant. The loss of her powers, had left Bethany feeling helpless, like a child in need of protection, weak even. Nonetheless, the vampire could handle anything and she asked a favour of Marceline to attend to the dearest of her servants – only as she was incapable of doing so herself - and retrieve a certain object.

"You know, she's the one who planted the apple tree that specifically keeps this land safe," the Ice Queen maintains, "right above the place where the Lich's body sunk into the earth". Smiling at the confusion impaling across Bubblegum's face, she adds, "She told me of your little meeting with her there".

The Princess merely offers, "Ah. I see".

The ever-growing spell of awkwardness prying at their minds and jostling about in the dying flames of night air, seemed relish binding itself to their conversation. Soon though, there no longer remains a reason to loathe it – but what comes trudging through the archway leaves enough reason for both monarchs to want to sit in a chamber of the spell. The thick stench of dry blood tickling its way across their senses as the wind brings it along with bits of charred wood.

Once again, thick rivulets of blood dripped at the vampire's hands, partly staining her pantaloons, completely swamping her axe. Sections of her midnight hair swayed behind her, but visibly painted with the same gore-based fluid, as well. Limping right behind her, is John the human: cuts clearly brimming at his thighs, an arm dead at his side and his other arm swung around the lithe form of Finn. The usual cloth covering atop his head, tattered and parts of his arms scathed with deep wounds, yet, Finn strode forward dragging his companion along: strongly- somewhat proudly. And following beside him, of course, was the golden – now matted with red – furred dog. All its limbs were in place and as if to exaggerate its well-being, it barks.

Bethany's gasp shatters the tense air between the two parties.

Her eyes trail over the lump of bundled cloth around Gunter's body at Marceline's arms. Next, wet drops begin to seep into the dips her lower eyelids provide, slowly filling the flat basins - on the verge of over-flowing from the dam. She takes a few slow strides forward, crouching along with the vampire queen over the body of her most beloved servant, whom now lay on the ground.

Noticing the potential break-down, Marceline motions with her fingers to a side and consecutively: the two guards along with their canine leave the grounds, supporting each other and taking the path to the infirmary. Before they leave though, the Princess gives them a message to take back, as well.

Stepping over the tarnished remains of the once fresh fire, Bubblegum makes her way over to the kneeling monarchs. Keeping her gaze fixed on Marceline, she notices the vampire's eyes flare – a certain fury raging. She also notices, the Ice Queen's back beginning to hob slightly, and it is only after she turns to place herself in a kneeling position beside the two (much like the father at a wedding, but this being a mourning) that she notices Bethany sobbing. The pain twisting at her mouth is hidden by the pale hands she cups at her face, but that does not stop the dams over-flowing through the beds of her fingers.

A chill sting of air scatters around the threesome, as the shadows of the taller hedges in the palace ground envelope them.

Marceline shifts her gaze from the desperate sobs, to the Princess. Her features tense, as does the grit of her teeth. The stained axe now lain beside her, reeked of death, the only lighter shade of blood at the grip where Marceline's hand clasped firm, a day prior.

The two monarchs stare at each other, almost taking a peer into the other's soul and finding the words to phrase out the feeling. A cord of worry dangling about Bubblegum's neck, latched onto the noose of guilt, that she, was somehow responsible for the new red paint on the vampire's body. A guillotine of familiar anger and the tiny sprites of fear emanated off Marceline's concentration.

"We were ambushed," the vampire queen finally utters, a hoarse guttural tone scratching at her voice. Speaking between gritted teeth, next she adds, "By humans. Dead humans."

That a battle had taken place was quite obvious. But an ambush, only lead to the direct conclusion that enemies had been waiting for them.

"The Lich has resurrected his old body, and now, he has a growing field of dead soldiers".

It was the Lich that massacred human after human during the Great Mushroom War, pushing the entire species to extinction and turning whomever he killed into his undead minions. The missing bodies of whoever was turned, sparked rage in neighbouring lands and their species – the vampire queen at the time blamed: not only as the mutinous woman who killed her own king, but also as the monster that destroyed and ate the bodies of humans. Though, with the Lich King's fall at the hands of the vampire queen, his control and power over the minions was vanquished. The minions also sunk in debris, buried into the refurnishing mounds of earth that the centuries blew by. But, apparently, that had changed.

"We're all in danger".


	33. Chapter 33

_**A/N: **__ If you get in trouble for reading this, I'm sorry o=)_

_**Crimson Tree – Part XXXI **_

The ambush had stunned them as the onslaught was much too sudden. Marceline had sensed the stench of rotting bones the moment she encountered her sentries, and as she mentioned, they expected an attack sooner or later. Either way, the much-quiet atmosphere of the Ice Castle had proved least convincing as an entire place deserted after an attack – enemies were bound to be watching, waiting for new victims. After all, what was better than recruits for their master? _More_ recruits, of course. What made the attack worse, was that when Finn slashed his sword straight into the chest of the undead soldier battering his way at them, it pulled back with the weapon still embedded and took a spin, twisting its back left and right as it slashed with the sharp edge of the sword. Finn had dodged in time, John, had not. The sword came flailing downwards, cutting at his shoulder and momentarily snatching out a horrified scream. Marceline had been battling off 12 of the minions all at once, upon hearing the scream however, the fury with which her axe lunged out: increased and eventually, an unhealthy scattered amount of limbs perched at various places around them. Making sure John was able to continue, the group dispersed out into the woods, running off together at whatever pace their feet allowed – Marceline slowing hers to the fastest of the group so as to keep in balance – and rushed back to the Candy Kingdom. For if a moment more were to pass with them admiring the art of mutilated already-dead limbs, soon enough, Marceline believed a another platoon to be upon them as they came to replace the Ice Castle minions. The Lich has the souls of every poor beast he enslaved, upon being killed, the soul was freed unto whatever fate it was destined to in the after-life, but a signal of the lost troop would come back to its master. And, when a whole group of about 15 were wiped out at once, sure enough the signal would head home to the king stronger and clearer.

The rest of the next day passed almost immediately. A grand funeral was held for the deceased penguin butler. The vampire slept, the Ice monarch roamed the halls and the princess attended to her council and people. The sun soon finds itself sinking into the tight grasp of a dark pool of night sky and up it emerges again changed into a new silvery cloak. After a lengthy check on the two missionaries, informing all top sentries to be on high alert guard and bidding their Ice acquaintance a good night, the two monarchs silently walk into Bubblegum's chamber. Unbeknownst to the Princess, Marceline latches the door behind her as she shuts it with her now clean hands. It had taken some time, but a bath using most of the Princess' 'chemical cleansers' removed all signs of blood ever being traced over the pale skin as well as the stench that had proudly revolved around Finn's dog.

The latch nearly bolts home soundlessly, but its metal tip strikes the metal holding and a light_ cling _brushes from the taller monarch's ears and echoes in-between the tufts of hair tucked behind the Princess' ears.

"Marceline?" she questions. She turns backwards as her right eyebrow arches far above. She urges, "did you just latch the door?"

The queen merely smirks, mischievous auras stitched into every bit of the teeth that show. Taking a few gentle steps forward as she pushed herself off the door against her back, she comes to a stop an arm's length from the younger monarch. Maintaining the mood her grin portrays, she whispers, "Yes".

The Princess lowers her gaze; she feels the heat rush to her face and sets about moving her arms to the top of her head. _Pathetic. I've been with her this long and I still feel so shy. Get yourself together, Bubblegum. _Carefully, exaggerating the movement so as to reason that the drop in look was for this, she sets about removing the crown crouched in the neatly combed, flowing locks of pink hair that wedge beside her ears and cower at her waist. Taking apart any following hair strands, she lifts off the adornment and as she makes to lower her arms, she feels the light brush of cool skin against them.

Looking back up at the taller monarch, still in the current archway arm-holding stature, Bubblegum hesitates as a gauze of blush returns to her cheeks. "Um, Marceline, if you wish to do so, you may sleep in my chamber tonight. Is that why you have latched the door and taken up this form of pleasantry?" She chews on her lower lip, when the vampire merely stares back in amazement. Her mind inadvertently swings back to the reality of who was in the room with her. _Of course not. _

"I don't feel sleepy, Bonni".

Marceline slides one of her hands upwards over the Princess', sending light tingles down Bubblegum's shoulders and across her chest. Reaching for the crown, the queen places it on the dressing table beside them. Though, she brings her hand back to clasp the younger monarch's arms and the grips inadvertently tense. Bubblegum strains further into her gaze as the new pressure at her wrists increases and feels the heat gushing at her face: spread throughout the entire expanse of her body. Her heartbeat quivers in gallops as Marceline moves her head inward. Closer.

The vampire pauses a moment, as she adds, "I _need_ you, to heal my battle trauma".

The lessening proximity becoming increasingly noticeable to the Princess. She manages what she can, "Since when have you been traumatized by battle?" A chuckle rings at the vampire's throat. She answers, "ever since I journeyed beyond these walls, and I _so_ dearly missed you".

Bubblegum gasps, "Liar".


	34. Chapter 34

_**A/N: **_**NSFW EVER. **Also, as I typed this into MS Word, I found it absolutely hilarious which page number this particular part is. Take a guess.

_**Crimson Tree – Part XXXII**_

The tickles of breath swishing at her chest every so often, did not help the Princess one bit. She grew tense by the moment as the vampire seemed to draw out the duration at which she held Bubblegum in such a compromising position. The vampire imitates a frown at the accusation of being a 'liar'. She releases the firm clasp at Bubblegum's wrists, and just as the Princess thinks it's time to ease her arms out, in one quick lunge, the air she was about to inhale is left two yards in front of her. A light thud rumbles the quiet of the chamber as the Princess finds her back pressed against a wooden closet and her hands, unfortunately, once more prisoners to the capture of Marceline.

The queen places her face right in front of the Princess', forming a small 'o' with her lips, she blows upwards with a tilt of her chin – fanning out the wandering pink strands at the younger monarch's temples.

"I am no liar".

Bubblegum resists her urge to embrace the queen, not just because it would crash them together too tightly, but also because she was still being restrained. "Fine, but if you must know, I have missed you as well. Maybe, even more". She lifts her neck up and places a peck on the vampire's nose, warming the skin there within the second. This time, the vampire's face shades purple as she blushes.

A wave-like sensation washes over the Princess, as she feels the soft but firm touch of lips against her neck. The intensity of the feeling erupts as she feels a sharp press – no, two sharp presses: lightly plunging into the fragile skin of her neckline. The pain that clings at first, immediately fails as it is replaced with an unexpected rush of excitement. The Princess feels herself wanting more, and she pushes slightly at Marceline's mouth. Pausing for a moment at the jolt her partner supplies, the vampire draws the sides of her mouth into a grin and plunges a little deeper. Another dose of ecstasy pounds at her chest as the Princess closes her eyes, as do the queen's lips where she has conquered. The queen then proceeds to lift her face away, bringing her tongue out at the same time: giving a long slick swish across the wounds, immediately closing and healing them.

Bubblegum does not have time to breathe and think of what had happened, as almost instantaneously, her lips are next dominated. The arms holding her hands up let go and force a way around her waist through the closet's press against the backside of her body. She complies, finally leaning forward into the other's chest, allowing the arms to wrap around her and bring her in closer. She returns the embrace and then, the kiss. The pulsing energy in their veins asking for more, lead the pair to start throwing one kiss after the other, passionately, back and forth. The vampire's tongue flicks out against the Princess' lips, but does not enter her mouth as the continued match of returning kisses in one simultaneous pattern, continues. Marceline pulls out her arms and stops them at the edges of the Princess' hips, and her hands slide down Bubblegum's dress, coming into a curl at her thighs.

Their progressively long kiss breaks.

Marceline lifts Bubblegum, making the lady instinctively hold onto the vampire's shoulders for support. One float backwards from the closet and the Princess falls with a light bounce on the mattress of her bedchamber. Marceline's walks onto the bed on all-fours, positioning herself right above the pink-haired monarch. Her eyes seem to glimmer as they gaze deeply into the Princess' eyes, a sense of longing moaning from within the deep voids. Her head swivels to the left for a split four seconds as she, through one hissed blow, extinguishes the single candle in the chamber. Bringing a hand to the former's cheek she caresses it, admiring the soft skin trailing under her fingertips. Next, she grins. "I love you, Bonnibelle".

The Princess reaches up to cup the vampire's face, tugging at it, she brings Marceline's body in a light crash onto her own, and as her lips yet again encounter Marceline's, she feels the burdens of the world lifted off her shoulders in a single flick.

"I-" Bubblegum is interrupted, as a hand softly enfolds at her breast. Even though the unnecessary barrier of her royal dress attempts to stop the inflating activity, Bubblegum feels her chest heave as Marceline begins to move her hand back and forth – kneading very carefully. The fact that it is Marceline, her bodyguard, her first lady who was doing this- to her– that was enough to shatter the lack of nudity at her chest. The princess is thrown into a battle of trying to supress the loud moans wanting to escape her lips, while holding back the urge to ask for another bite on the neck. The feeling of a passionate bite, along with the caressing presses against her chest: seemed just wonderful. Perfect even. But she was wrong.

For as the pleasure at her chest continues to increase, she feels a ripple of goose-bumps tickle across her thigh as Marceline's hand brushes the skin there, making its way higher and higher. Skilfully sliding away the feathery tresses over the under gown and lace beneath the main smoulder of thick material. She did not know what the vampire was doing, but, it was causing her intense, extreme and unbelievable pleasure. More and more, was necessary.

"Marceline, please". The princess swivels her face to a side, trying to catch her breath and tries again, "I-"

Her undergarment is torn down the remainder of her thigh, and nuzzling at her private petals, Marceline's fingers begin to massage. The movements aren't rushed, but timed to the jolts and bucks Bubblegum's hips begin to involuntarily provide. One high jolt upwards, as her body rises with that of the vampire's, it falls back down to start the routine yet again but fails. Marceline lays her full weight on Bubblegum, hedging her head at the younger monarch's chest, she thrusts a finger an inch up where it lay in-between the Princess' thighs. And this time, the Princess moans, short but loudly.

A surge of mellifluous moans start to perch at the Princess' throat as she reaches a heightened sense of awareness. The sensual touch was both intoxicating with each thrust and closing of her eyes, but the unknown want to have it stop – stop, after a reach to a zenith. A 'climax' to the desire pulsing her every whim as she felt her waist continuously and with obeisance push onto Marceline's hand. This apogee of divinely transcendence, it was just too much to bear and conflictingly, exactly what she yearned.

Marceline looks up from the barracks of Bubblegum's chest, smiling at her work – she too, was equally satisfied. To touch the princess, like this, she had wanted for much too long as week after week droned by at the palace. Her gaze would often linger, as her height difference allowed, at the dip between the Princess' breasts. Even more so when they embraced. Marceline's visceral delight jumps with each jolt, with each gasp, with each cacophony of musical gasps her princess emitted.

All the while her name repeated through Bubblegum's lips. "Marceline, Marceline… Marceline". And similarly, with every plunge the vampire repeats her love. "I want you, need you. I love you". _Love_. The word doesn't arise as an epiphany, but as a mere refraction of the emotion that had welled up so strongly in her heart. The continued declaration of her affections, seep into the Princess' ears as she mounts their faces together and feels the vibratory tell-tale's of the younger monarch's body preparing for the final lurch. Then, a final rock and Bubblegum feels the breath hitch at her chest and inwardly sighs to a still breathing mode. Marceline, tickles her lips at Bubblegum's earlobe, whispering softly, "My _lover_". She instils the title with complete satisfaction, adoring the sense of the forbidden connection between them – she embraces and claims the love they have without regard to anything, but their joy. Her joy at finally resting in the arms of her beloved.

The vampire keeps her hand under the privacy of Bubblegum's dress but outside her 'private quarters', as she moves to a side, and nuzzles up against the silky locks of pink and the neck of the Princess. Bubblegum still faces upwards, though the vampire is now at her side and facing downwards. In a way the opposites satisfied her, like a sense of oneness after uniting so strongly. So passionately.

Princess Bubblegum turns her head to face that of the sideways Vampire Queen, shifting her whole body next, she takes the hand that does not camp at her thigh with her own and interlocks fingers with the Queen's. Marceline returns the silent look they share, adoringly – affectionately. An entire world of ecstasy seems to flare between them, shuddering their senses raw as the impact of their love-making, becomes a prominent fact. _We made love._ The Princess smiles, still recovering from the blushing and adrenaline jumping her skin previously. Moving her lips to instate her final kiss, that too being anything but prosaic, she susurrates,

"I love you, too".


	35. Chapter 35

_**Crimson Tree – Part XXXIII**_

Thick beams of sunlight, usually, penetrate and flood the Princess' bedroom. Blaring the brightest within her chamber as its height in speculation to the rest of the palace is undeniably the most. But that particular morning, the golden strikes do not permeate the window, as a thick smocking of dark curtains is folded over the dull, polished glass.

It was purposely doused there, the vampire made sure of it, for there was no other way to stop light blaring in and caressing her skin to ashes. No other way, especially since by the pleas of her princess and by the desire that had so long resided within her, she slept with the younger lady. The desire being not that of physical activity that one partakes in during moments of arousal, but instead, the need to feel her beloved beside her. Just to lay down together and sleep in the peaceful calm, holding the epiphany that they in fact, loved each other. To feel the soft brush of the Bubblegum's body, to feel the light thud of her heart pulsing through veins where Marceline embraced as she nuzzles her head at the Princess' neck. Yes, that desire was being fulfilled and so, the blasted curtains had to be 'darkened up'.

_Dak dak _A slight wince flutters across Bubblegum's face and almost immediately, her eyes fling open. A nauseous cloud of fog muddles up her thought process, as she fails to comprehend why a pounding '_Dak_' is shaking her from the safe companionship of sleep. Comprehension hits her though, as a shuffle to her side clashes against her hip.

"Princess?" The familiar tone of Peppermint Butler's voice squishes through the locked doorway.

Bubblegum turns on her side and there she finds the vampire alert and sitting against the headboard of the bed, watching the Princess intently as a grin plays at the corners of her mouth.

"Good morning, Bonni," she husks, finger playfully combing through and pushing back the shrouds of black hair that cover part of her right eye. "Your butler there has been banging at the door every hour or so, I ignored him though," she adds, "hissed at him a bit to make sure he got the point".

The Princess groans. "Marceline, we should not publicize our…"

"sexual plunders?"

"No," Bubblegum frowns timidly holding back the smile surfacing as well. "Our union. You know that it is somewhat un-"

Marceline interrupts, "I know, Bonni. I know, just this once". A trenching of arms dangles above the vampire's head and is folded behind the same as she leans back onto them.

Nodding approvingly, the princess asks next, "what time is it?" The reply flits back after a while, "Quarter past noon".

"Oh my glob. I have slept the whole morning away!" A sudden movement leaves the Princess leaping out of bed as the expression of utter horror lashes at her face. Clearly, a growing pile of paperwork seductively calls from her study table, as do the flashing lumps of ink surrounding them and the schedules for various meetings.

"P-princess? Are you awake, now?" Peppermint tries yet again. Holding off council meetings did leave visitors annoyed, especially when a royal or two or a whole court awaited. Unusual he thought, the Princess was and has never been behind schedule and now but a mere half an hour remains for her to prepare and attend congress. Then again, the vampire was within her chamber at so late an hour, maybe final plans to kingdom security and so forth were being discussed.

As Bubblegum rushes back and forth in her struggle to choose the correct attire for formality and the appropriate wording for her newest speech. The vampire observes and enjoys. Clamouring through the bustle of sounds the princess leaves in her maddening wake of rush, Marceline murmurs, "We should sleep together more often, Bonni. This is fun".

"Not now Marceline!" Bubblegum snaps. Dashing over to the doorway next, she speaks audibly enough for the awaiting butler to hear, "I'll be there in a moment Peppermint, must get the work done. Marceline and I have discussed a thorough" – she glares at the smirking queen – "security placement, it should prove successful when implemented".

Peppermint coughs, before he continues, "Splendid, Princess. Breakfast will be hurried with your will, as the duchess of nuts awaits your latest approval of her denial to nut aborting".

"Very well," the monarch manages, groping at the towel beside her cloth stand as she makes swift strides to the washroom. Pausing a moment, she retraces her steps and hovers beside the vampire. Leaning in she provides a light peck at the cheek. "Good morning, my love". And with that, she drags up the silhouette of her silky nightgown in a spectacularly unladylike manner and runs to freshen up for the coming day.

"The Lich is upon us". The Ice Queen's remark stills air with every power-lost yet icy breath that she expels. A light crunch dispels it as an apple is decapitated of its colour as Marceline sinks her fangs into it.

Princess Bubblegum nods. "Apparently, so. As Marceline has instructed sentries have been placed in groups throughout the land surrounding the kingdom, a runner also resides with each pack in case contact, Glob forbid, is necessary with the main base at the palace".

Bethany inclines her head in approval. "Good, safety is of utmost importance if the people of this kingdom specifically are within the zone of danger". She blows a light cooling air to the water goblet in front of her, ever so mildly chilling its contents. "Though, it would be of much greater profit if Marceline – the clear target – is to leave the kingdom".

Marceline stops the sucking sound shivering from the apple she tortures. "You and I know very well, Bethany, that I may not risk that. Our clearest chance of victory is to stay here".

A light façade of purple blush claims her face as she adds, "Besides, I must protect Bubblegum, here".

"Thank you, Marceline," the Princess offers, smiling in sublime politeness. Her eyes shift to the vacant space at the centre of the triangular-shaped table they sit at.

She openly queries glancing at neither monarch, "But why is it that the Lich King would possess Queen Bethany, with the intent of murdering me?" The question had long before climbed into the awareness of her mind, occasionally popping by as the story of the Lich was retold in the sacred chambers of her thoughts. The Lich wanted the perfect immortality and powers of a vampire. Why then would he attack the princess that possessed neither? Her kingdom was fruitful in its own ways to but her people and to tourists it offered a variety of sugary delights and unending proportions of sweet food, and if counted, the odd recital of poetry every week by Duke Lemongrab. Surely the Lich had no sweet tooth or appreciation of screechy stanzas that end with "_**unacceptable**_"?

"Because, Princess, the only thing other than sheer force of death upon his damned soul of resurrected sorcery, that may protect Marceline or any being of possession – is the power of companionship".

Marceline chuckles unexpectedly as she muses of the word that should have been used. _Of love. _

Providing enough of a glare to quieten the vampire queen, Bethany continues, "the night of the ball, the disappearance of you two had not gone as unnoticed as expected. There are spies everywhere, Princess, helping their monster king in every possible till his return to power".

She concludes, "your companionship-" Marceline coughs.

"Has proven to be the strongest clench of life surrounding Marceline, killing you is getting rid of that barrier for when he returns to fully battle her".

After all, a soul is only but a drained shell of sadness – vulnerability – when there is not a drop of 'companionship' resounding with every thought or pulse. Be it of acquaintances, friends, family or a beloved – that is what provides reason to move on with the on-flowing days of life. Immortals, no exception.


	36. Chapter 36

_**Crimson Tree – Part XXXIV**_

Finn was oft accustomed to staying awake into the later hours of night as a child; though his eyes would droop as he tried to keep himself awake as his now-dead uncle told him old legends. Mostly his head would bobble between the bridge of hands he tried to keep steady as he propped his elbows on his knees. As he sat once on his uncle's lap, a life of warriors and myths poured out into the channelling pictures of his imagination. Oh the stories were wondrous and magical. Of imps and pixies, of trolls and thieves, of bandits and villages. Even of the last humans and of demons. All the while he'd listen attentively – lest his drowsiness got the better of him. And soon enough he'd curl into little ball and sleep in the comfort of his uncle's arms.

Tonight, though, he would not sleep. As he had done since his battle training commenced with their vampire master. Rustles of air flew through the stray hairs beneath his adventure hat, tickling his eye lashes and echoing deep swooshes of air through the kingdom gates behind him. Guard duty was the most thrilling experience of his life. Most sentries despite being trained to such a pride as to garner the attention of other nations and even quest around to help – found much displeasure in standing stiff outside with armour weighing down, waiting the approach of a trespasser who never appeared.

But to Finn, it was an adventure in its lowest stage. Nonetheless, an adventure.

A rustle in the bush, maybe a croak from a frog upon a toadstool. The rustle could be a bandit, or it could be the harmless bunny showing the sentry an alternative sneak attack mode. The frog could be a guardian of regions unknown, maybe guarding the passage to another land or even, just an amphibian of growing interest with the flora he had perched himself upon. There was too much to observe, see, learn from. How was it not an exhilarating experience? After all, the queen had asked them to stay alert and he was always ready to obey orders.

It was never boring, no. To make sure none of the victories of observance were only to him, his golden dog Jake, too, spent nights with him. Occasionally sniffing about, giving soft barks to the frog that did not budge and resting his eyes on the deep rooted forestry that lay an acre away at the hem of the sloping hill that lead to the kingdom.

"What's wrong, Jake?" the young human asks, as he kneels down beside his dog. The canine, however, was up on all fours, its ears perked up in alertness and a light growl rumbling from its throat.

The sentry strained his eyes, as little ants seemed to trudge along, or more accurately slide along the hillside. But mere splodges of black in the distance, but then again that was all the lighting and the tricks of his eyes allowed the human to see, in the middle of the grey evening. Though being quite a distance away, Finn could almost swear he heard light bumps and scratches from these 'ants'.

"This does not look good. Come here, Jake". Finn the proceeds to write in squiggly letters of the ancient alphabet onto fresh parchment from his travel sack. Occasionally glancing up, then continuing to write, he notices the dark shapes getting bigger. Simultaneously, dark clouds begin to form in the sky, shading out even the husky gleam of the moon and drowning the air into a strangling, choke of blackness. A click resounds as Finn attaches the letter to his master and gives a light pat to his dog, ushering it to deliver his message. Pulling out a sword he secures the entrance gates shut, perching himself atop of a large stone beside the gateways and scanning the approaching figures.

Bethany had been watching the Princess and her Bodyguard converse, argue even, of the antics of battle and the impending danger this posed to not only people of the land, citizens of the kingdom but to the trio of monarchs as well. Her feet shuffle as she edges closer to the loose fitting glass and glares into the night. Her bow furrows as the darkening skyline and fading light, become all but invisible. She closes her eyes, taking a quick sigh and turning to face the other regal individuals.

Just as she did so, a loud yelp escapes her lips as the all too familiar golden dog of the palace, leaps at her knees. Pulling the material up from the dirty paws the creature had decided to paint onto her dress, she claims with an annoyed tone, "Marceline, your boy's pet is here".

Princess Bubblegum covers her mouth with a hand as her eyes tweak upwards with the sudden giggle she stifles. The emotion stops though, as she watches Marceline's face turns slightly sorrowful, then stern. Next, the vampire makes her way to the window sill and after gazing but a moment out the glassed view, her fingers twist into a tight fist. Lights dimly highlighted the shiny cusps of her thick locks of hair, most of which trailed at her hips.

"Is something wrong, Marceline?" The Princess asks, planting her hands onto the edges of her chair attempting to get up. The dog growls deeply.

Marceline turns in one swift movement, seizing her axe and sighing out an unneeded breath. "Battle is upon us, Bonni. The Lich's army is here".

At that, Bubblegum shoots up right out her chair. "A-army? I thought you said groups of minions!"

_Clckt! _A wisp of golden fur dashes out the door.

The Ice Queen, crosses her arms over her chest as she declares, "Then, _war_ is upon us, Princess".

Not far off, a thick pool of shadowed blood trickles out and around a certain soldier as he lies at the ground of the hillside. His eyes start to fade as he hears a whimper beside him, and then, the world is but a blackened dimension.


	37. Chapter 37

_**A/N:** Hey dearest readers :D I hope you all are doing well, and I do apologize for the slow update :l Please do drop in some reviews yelling out anything you want to! I hope you enjoy the incoming action._

_**Crimson Tree – Part XXXV**_

"To the towers! Archers take your positions and mercenaries first flank heading East!" A myriad of orders screamed throughout the palace grounds and outer city. The clear tumbling and clangs of swords and shields resounded through the night air, whispering even into the bravest of soldiers the fear that would eventually rust out their insides, when these very sounds were to cut into the enemy. To cut into flesh and kill. The deep waters of anxiety flooded amongst people who had no knowledge of the times of war nor the rush of escaping. Rough thuds procured from the feet of marching soldiers contrasted heavily with the light patters of citizens, hastening to the safety of the inner city. Running to find comfort in the words of their princess.

"Stay with your people, do not venture beyond the gates," the vampire whispers to her love. The armour she now wears, gives off light metallic sounds as she shifts to push the princess against a corridor wall. "My heart doth belong to you, and only you forever".

"I love you too, Marceline". A kiss from her princess and a tight embrace is merciful enough to bestow itself, as the vampire knight reluctantly pulls away and dashes through the air out of the palace walls - into the chaos of the dark world.

Bubblegum sighs deeply, gritting he teeth to maintain her composure and sauntering out in the opposite direction her lover had left from. The first step of her foot was greeted by the hundred of eyes that shifted to catch in time with her footfall, the princess of Candy Kingdom. The eyes belonged to many a people, old, young, starchy and sugary, mer-people and dwarves on business transactions and they all expected her words to soothe some form of calm into their chilled, scared hearts. But neither pair of eyes, were the crimson fires that lit up the night in her chamber nor the cunning stare that would often watch Bubblegum as she worked. But she would be strong for her people. She would be strong for her kingdom.

_None of our hearts will waver. _

Managing a forced but soft smile, the princess steps out onto the small podium in the palace grounds and assures every soul within the area: a hope of being reunited with their loved ones, of a fair victory and of a peaceful future.

Marceline's eyes pierce left and right, brutally scavenging amongst the blurs of running soldiers for the familiar shade of blonde hair that depicted the forehead of the message envoy Finn. But the young man was nowhere amongst the first flank as he should have been expected. Only her hair swirls about her in a dark thunder of black, for below the neck; thick gauntlets, spaulders and vambraces. At her chest is a faded silver cuirass slightly dented but nonetheless providing powerful protection, against even fire as the princess mentioned, after all, Bubblegum's own father had once worn the same armour in a battle against the fire king. At her right hand, the axe of tonight's battle, despite being a usually dull red had phased into a darker shade of maroon, as coat after coat had stitched its way into the metal and repeatedly painted upon the weapon. An ensemble of about 200 soldiers awaited her order, separately 50 archers waited as well. Stepping out the gates that closed in loud hoarse shrieks behind her – latched and held by another 20 soldiers guarding the entrance from within – she makes her way out and into the valley before the kingdom. There to face her was an army of numerous soldiers. Three times in size from her own, and each one dead to the bone.

Closely behind their leader, the soldiers follow in exaggerated thumps against the soft, rocky terrain as they march together to battle. This was their final test as well as the moment where they could discern, whether they had truly grasped all they'd been taught and trained in. Had the soldiers of Candy Kingdom, the might and bravery to protect their homeland ? Had they, the belief and hope of hard and fruitful combat? Had they the strength to defend their princess? All is narrowed down to penultimate breaths of dreary anxiety they suck in, rather than breathe relaxingly, to the final prayers they utter and to the last closing of bloodshot eyes; only to open in the adrenaline of war and the berserk atmosphere that Death had brought in, waiting for the newest souls to snatch away.

Marceline comes to a stop, letting her feet touch the ground as she observes the army before her. The enemy's army. Despite being dead, the bodies of a vast number of humans could easily be picked out from the gore-filled limbs that were partly attached to the Lich's army. In most places only but tendons of string held together the oozing, fungus-growing muscles of the beings. She was all too familiar with the appearance of zombies, but the humans among this particular resurrection of troops implanted an anger in her. One that ran back centuries ago.

_So this is where the last of the human race went. To the graveyard of the Lich and now brought back centuries later in his wake. _

But, what instilled a pumping tension along with the courage clashing through the soldiers, was that the dead soldiers did not what normal myths of lore foretold them of creating. The usually expected deathly, gasping moans of bloodlust did not sound from the military before them. No, instead the eerie silence that mirrors the black sockets of the skeletal creatures - beckons forth a slight tingle in the heart of even the strongest soldier - a thread of fear.

In the distance an owl shrieks its calling of mockery, Marceline bares her fangs as her eyes turn a dangerously dark red. _**"Kshhhh!"**_ she loudly utters, as the Candy Kingdom soldiers rush into battle and she too runs along with them. Her eyes all the while, locked on the obstructed structure of blackened bones and robes that saunters behind the undead army.


	38. Chapter 38

_**A/N: **__After a bit of a wait, here's a new update. Now, I'm very interested in knowing what you all think is going to happen to both of our main characters? Leave a review and tell me what you think._

_**Crimson Tree – Part XXXVI**_

The booming rumbles of metal haunches dragged and ploughed into hard ground. The hoarse, drenching screams of battle cries, thunder throughout the open stretch of land beneath the widespread hill of the Candy Kingdom. Not seen in the land of sugary candy canes and sweet, bubbling atmosphere – chaos had completely taken over. Ripples of heat sear any pair of eyes to look at the mass of bodies crushing against each other, either to be whisked away to the heavens by a single deadly blow or to be torn limb from limb and left for a slow tortured death. The morning sun had kept its patience rising a fraction every half hour, holding back from spilling clarity of vision onto the revolting massacre that lasted throughout the early hours of the night. That still, brought gurgling sounds as throats were ripped from bodies while blood plummeted into the air and the humble snaps of broken bones being trampled onto as one sentry after the other and one undead soldier followed by the next, ravaged away in the obsession of battle.

Amid the flurry of long and short candy creatures and six foot undead humans and goblins, a tall woman of crimson eyes screams in rage as she thrashes a heavy axe deep into the chest of one goblin: leaving a clean swipe right through and handing similar fates to the three minions behind it. Heavy burbles of blood splash at her cheeks, trailing lithe lines across her nose and dripping most thoroughly down the curve of the axe. A thin rivulet of the red liquid, dribbles away from its path across her face and clambers onto the open cusp of her lower lip, grazing against her fang slightly. Closing her eyes as she hacks the neck off a one armed goblin, the woman takes a quick breath in – sucking the red droplets as well – and with the reopening of her eyes a renewed colour of fiery red seeps from them, a fierce glare of anger – a form of berserk lust.

After all, a vampire does eventually get to blood. Or in this case, the blood came to her.

Lifting her knee up, she simultaneously raises the axe. Blood falls in inaudible drops against the dull sheen of her chest plate from the edge of the sharpened weapon and as she extends the muscles of her thigh, she delivers a harsh upward kick to the chin of a sword-wielding zombie. Its head cracks backward against its spine, and before it attempts to move, the vampire spins her body mid-air using its neck as a hold for the heel of her foot and brings the back of her left foot crashing against the side of its head. A thick _fwump_resounds as its disjoined skull sails through the air, bits of veins stringing around the rest of the battling soldiers like fat threads of mush.

Not wasting a moment, she then proceeds to propel her axe in a large circle as her body twirls around, slicing the minions that had deemed it safe to surround the warrior while she decapitated their now, headless and more than dead fellow minion. Corpses piled on top of each other, lodging scattered limbs around amongst the glimmers of metal that bore the recently designed Candy Kingdom emblem. A roar gurgles from the lady's mouth as, she runs gallantly hissing and hacking at the enemy one after the other. Sentries raised their spears in attempts to skewer the dead beings, only to find blood gushing from the chests of the creatures as the vampire bore on the craving rampage that tore through her veins and scratched at the thirst for blood in her throat.

The sudden desire, the hunger, for the succulent drops of blood or at least the fresh sweet taste of red apples, grapples at her thoughts. One splash of the red liquid onto her hands after the other, left her scrutinizing in the dim light of the approaching morn, for any form of the colour red. But all that stagnated between the tiny puddles of black and grey, were large seas of bright red blood. But then again, she would resist the temptation. _Not when I may lose control over my senses._

During the manic race to kill of every creature of evil pursuit, she herself felt the demon within emanating the same dark aura that these beings held around them, the same dark aura that came in floods from the giant robe-clad demon that had finally appeared amongst the crowd of stacked carcasses. Her eyes had trailed through every slash of enemy to find him, but upon the first few strikes in the battle from both sides , the creature had vanished. To her left and right, soldiers remained fighting for their lives, using swords, axes, spears – even burning torches. And before her, Marceline the Vampire Queen sees the lithe figure of a sentry against the floor, with dark curls of blood around his arms and a worn out adventure hat over his face.

A knot tied in her chest as a wave of nausea began to sink in, eating at her anger, trying to overpower the demon with the worry of an endangered maiden; her sentries were dying slowly just as the enemy did. Time wasted killing these brutes was the same amount of time each soldier - each with a dream and life back 'home' – perished in the merciless jaws of war.

What made her eyes fly wide in fury was not the poor soul of Finn the human but the hulking creature behind the young lad – a clear few feet away- the Lich himself was finally there.


	39. Chapter 39

_**A/N: **__A big hey to all of you! I would like to thank all the extremely kind people who have been reviewing this story (seriously, my ego is a bubble of inflated joy right now) and also to those that take the time to favourite and so forth. Here is a new part – I hope you all enjoy it :D _

_**Crimson Tree – Part XXXVII **_

Princess Bubblegum had watched in pain as the vampire left her. As the queen made her way into the bloodthirsty cries of battle and death, she watched even with the throat wrenching pleads of 'no' that plunged at her stomach and pulled on the strings of her heart. With each float Marceline flew away from her, the fear and pain in her thoughts resounded with an amplified sound.

"No…" Her breath puffs into the air, as the quiet whisper tremors across her lips.

She has given a light speech to the citizens, enough to not worry them as much as they already were but to also try persuade the faltering minds of candy that they would be safe. That their army was now capable, that the fiends that had encompassed the valley and hill before their homes, was to be defeated by their saviour Queen Marceline. There were those, family members of each brave soldier that had gone out of the large gates to fend off who knows what, and they questioned their reassurance, their guarantee that all was to be well – where the fake mirrors of hope lay for their loved ones who would potentially perish as pawns in the fight for the greater well-being of all within the kingdom walls. The princess, naturally, had no answer, at least not one that was of clichéd 'they will be fine'. Her answer was an oath. The oath to bring soldiers back safe – back home. She was not sure however, if the massive army of dead she glanced at from atop the tower above her room, could b defeated as easily despite her soldiers now: being of great fortitude and strength. Though, the fierce and powerful vampire that lead them – she trusted all her hope on that lady. For if they were to fail, Candy Kingdom was not to stand a chance. Would mothers bearing new icing frost babies, elderly starchmen, young ladies still in training at the archers range and above all, a weak, bubblegum Princess – stand a chance? No. Most definitely not. But they had Marceline the Vampire Queen. Surely, she'd bury those demons in the ground?

Bubblegum was standing straight, her arms folded across her chest, slightly hugging herself at the chilly wind blowing about. Light crinkles of rock titter beneath the shifting pressure of her feet as: second by second, and scream by scream from beyond the far gates of the Candy Kingdom, her body begins to get restless. Her breath draws in with deep rasps and her eyes flit from one end of the parapet wall to the other. Four sentries stand beside and around her, as she stares at the ginormous, barricaded gates of the kingdom that lead to the outer hills and lands.

"Princess?" Peppermint Butler queries. His brow tilts downwards as he eyes the mess of nervous bundles that was his loving monarch. He clears his throat, occasionally taking peeks at the sentries posted behind him.

"Yes?" Bubblegum mumbles, her demeanour polite but forced. Her mind strikes back to the moment; she discerns the worry clearly surging forth from her advisor. Bringing a quirk of her lips upwards, she asks, "What is wrong, Peppermint?"

The crease at his eyes wrinkle up as he begins to speak, deliberately waved out with the hand motions that accompanied his speech. "I believe it is not safe for you to be so close to the gates that hold battle behind them. The Ice Queen too, asks that you join her at the northward tower," he urges, "I too, wish that you are away from this area, Princess".

"Alright".

The butler keeps a dumbstruck expression from paddling onto his striped face as he understand that Princess Bubblegum had just agreed to him – so easily. In his many years as advisor and his father's as well, one thing he had come to grow used to, was the stubborn and inquisitive nature of the Bubblegum hierarchy . Bringing up the young princess along with the help of Minerva, he had often found himself 'politely arguing' of which pranks to not pull on the young girl's cousin Lemongrab. As the princess grew into a young lady, the range of stubborn grew as well, running from refusing to take her daily dose of candy cane as she deemed it cannibalism, to refusing to work at her office but instead wait under a tree for creatures of the night to appear. _And of course, inevitably she met Queen Marceline._

"Yes, very well. Please come with us". He motions to the sentries. "You should stay here and guard the gates, just in case," he nods to the approaching back-up of soldiers, giving orders just as the vampire had instructed him to.

The princess walks alongside her butler, taking small strides to make sure he wasn't outpaced by neither herself nor the sentries that tried to match their paces but with difficulty, as they did not sport flowing pink dresses. Just as she turns a corner at the end of the street, passing _Madam Treetrunk's Apple Pies, _a slick whir whistles past her left ear. As soon as she turns, in but seconds, a flash of vision spins in front of her eyes. She watches an arrow sails past her chest by millimetres and drowns itself into the greyed suit of Peppermint Butler. Clutching his chest, he falls backwards facing his monarch, an expression of pain mingled with anxiety wrangled across his striped complexion as he points behind the monarch and thuds to the ground in a sound thump. Sentries rush in front of the princess – two beside her, the rest in front all eying the bow wielding archer atop the roof of the apple pie bakery. The Princess immediately recognizes the logo of the enemies armour as of their own and but only takes a few moments that run in 3 seconds to understand, that the first mortal being after Queen Bethany, was possessed by the demon necromancer.

She then did, what neither her sentries nor her controlled attacker would have expected. Princess Bubblegum lifted her frock skirts up and, she ran.


	40. Chapter 40

_**A/N**: I'm a little busy with classwork and a month of fasting - but, hey I finally found the time to upload this for y'all. Once more, thank you for the amazing reviews, I appreciate each and every single one of them! _

_**Crimson Tree - Part XXXVIII**_

The Princess pushes forward into the night, running as fast as the lifted material of her frock allows. Deep swaths of damp air press against the skin on her face and flare around her arms – seeming to work against her, as if pushing the princess backwards. But, getting forced back into the sharp point of a polished arrow of the archer that pursued her, did not seem appealing. Not when smudges of her soldiers' blood spattered on darkened green hills protecting their kingdom, and when she too, has to now lead this enemy away from the innocents sheltering in the palace grounds. The life of her people could not be a heavier loss when already so much felt lost. Not when Marceline was amongst them fighting for some form of victory.

An owl hoots, a light, low-hummed sound as a contrast of Bubblegum's pattering footsteps are followed by their own thumps of thick leather boots belonging to the archer. Tiny dribbles of sweat begin to form at the Princess' temple, as she darts left and right – the long, pink sleeves of her frock swooning against strawberry brick walls at each turn. The effort to throw one leg after the other, seems to escalate, like the tumbling anger of a volcano that threatens to erupt. Her mouth starts to get dry, both with the panting that has commenced an uncomfortable rasp at her throat and the gallops of wing that slide in as she dashes on. All along, she turns as much as she can. Past several shops, a swiped glance of a cornered candy house before she takes the opposite turn; her eyes dart about to find solace in some form of escape, but trying to keep straight to navigate the reality of where she was going.

_Skrssht!_

Bubblegum feels the sole of her foot tug down and a strong pull at her hips as she notices in a quick look below, that part of her lifted skirt had squirmed from the grip of her hand and conveniently waited for the moment her boots would press tight enough. Enough to tear the material of fine craftsmanship and leave in its wake an even harder length of frock to manage as she runs. Hefting up the longer material as it begins to trail behind her, she offers utterances of _Glob_, promising to ask the tailor to shorten the length of puffed back dresses and scruffy underskirt linings. She tumbles slightly, carefully lashing out foot after foot to save herself from a fall were she to break the pattern of the run. The longer bits of cloth at the back, start to gather from behind the tear, bellowing about in the wind, sucking in air. The princess begins to feel the odd sensation of being pushed back, this time accentuated as the frock behind her greedily devours air and holds it in place – successfully attempting to slow her. Now, using the balls of her feet, she pushes out, trying to cover as much distance between herself and the archer.

Close behind, she hears more thuds. Thickly resonating tramples. "You can't arrow him down! What if you hit the princess?" "Run faster, we must stop him!"

_My sentries._ The sentries had followed right behind the archer, unable to scathe him as his swift feet – as all assigned archers had – carried him forward. Unable to throw a spear, not even lodge an arrow in his traitor chest, for what if the weapon were to indulge in the soft flesh of their princess?

The parachuting garment continues to collect buckets of air, and the Princess' feet drone on into the pained thrusts upon the hard ground. Her pace begins to slow. She hear with ease now: the clacking jolts of the enemy's bow nocking upon another arrow and the metallic belts of his armour rupturing in tough rattles as he pursues her. Her arms move in a quick motion from the rocking sides of her body, to the tear of cloth. Tightening her hands into fists, as a deep forced inhalation of air cusps at her lips with the panting that plunges as well, she applies pressure up and down simultaneously.

A second rip screeches through the air as she tears around her thighs, but looks up just in time to notice a thick wall signalling a new district ahead. Swivelling her body, she cuts an acute left, the even more lengthy remains of the frock mopping against the wall. Her crown clinks against the wall, and tips off her head, falling into a fading gleam of gold. A flurry of arrows plunge into the pink cloth, barely missing the princess by inches, and frescoing it to the wall but for a moment – giving the final rip from the royal silk garment. Freeing the princess altogether.

The effect is immediately noticeable as the space for her to sprint forward increases between her desperate leaps and a gradual whisper of air creeps between her exposed lower thighs. Her ears perceive the sound of a distant metallic bang.

"Slice him! Not the wall, you butt!"

Princess Bubblegum feels a renewed courage as her pace becomes faster, stronger even, despite the aching muscles pleading her to stop, tempting her to embrace a short break than endure a minute more of strain and sweat. But, the courage wains, falters into a pile of ash, as ahead of her, the Northward kingdom gates stood. All tight and planked in place; a strong barrier in every way. A dead end. The echoes of war-curdling cries creep from behind it. A dark aura surrounding its once golden demeanour, contrasting with the left over planks of dark brown, hard ebony wood piled up as remainders beside it against high, grey walls.

Her footfalls come to an end at the gates, she turns around and her eyes shift worriedly about her, grazing perpetually on the approaching archer. His bow levels with his face, an arm plucking at his back dragging out yet another arrow. This is what has become of the last heir to the Candy Kingdom throne. A young lady, sporting torn thigh high frocks in the most immodest manner, with sweat flowing in streams around her eyes and her hair asunder. To be killed along with her people, a martyr of a failed war. The swell at her bosom rises and falls as a building tension thrives and travels through the veins of her neck.

_No. _

Bubblegum reaches out and wraps her fingers around the hacked bits of a large plank, securing its hold within her hand like a monstrous sword.

_Glob help me, help us all. _


	41. Chapter 41

_**A/N: **__Here you go, have a new part! I hope you are all well and enjoy this. _

_Momo329: Im glad you're enjoying the story and thumbs up for fasting Bubbline fans!_

_AlexandraTheAlright: thank you for reading the story and yes, I'm aware he is the earl, but I decided to make him a duke for no particular reason :p _

_Now without further ado:_

**Crimson Tree – Part XXXIX**

Her eyes impale into small slits as brows crinkle if a quick crunch above her nose line. Bubblegum holds out the plank in front of her, as she watches the penumbra of the incoming archer approach in slight jumps across the rugged ground. Her hands begin to grope about the 'handle' of the plank, an irate action, as the constant cries of battle pronounce through the air only to be followed by the squelches of blood gushing around the soldiers within the battle zone. War in its own way, was an addiction. A sort of unknown desire to harm, hurt – kill. How often is one given the chance to crush someone to death, except within the sickening chambers of our minds when gushing with anger towards another being? A form of perennial need to end life after life, down enemy after enemy till one side is victorious, till the beast within the warrior calms down and begins to truly revolt the bloodshed it is has procured.

The archer raises his bow upward in one slow lift of his elbow; an arrow is already nocked in place. Light splinters of wood shiver about the instrument as he pulls the arrow further into the hug of the bow string. A deep rumble at his chest dictates that he let the projectile escape his fingers and plunge into his monarch. His lower lip trembles as the force to fight back against the rumble does not reach his soul, and he consciously watches from the domains of his mind, as he begins to loosen the muscles of his palm and the arrow, in an adagio of time, shimmies forward a bit.

His arm cascades higher than his shoulder, as the arrow lurches forward - his hand suddenly plucks at his chest and the bow drops in one lucid clatter. Shining metal coats the tree emblem of his armour, small splatters of blood dance about his throat and chest plate, and with a cough as an unnatural force wrenched form his chest, he falls.

She watches as her soldier falls down, his chest thrusting onto the cold earth and the spear in his back pushing out in belches of red liquid from his spine. The sentry behind him drags out the weapon from the soft flesh, prodding him with it to make sure of his demise and throwing it up in the air, a symbol of a win But, no, the princess shudders at the scene before her. Citizens of her own land pumping hands over the death of their own companion? Even as his blood spools about their thick gauntlets, and the screams of their comrades shatter the air? No, they have never been told to harm their companions, even in the distress of a princess. But, more likely a question was; how could they seem to be smiling – smirking at what they'd done? How long has it been since bloodlust had entered the hearts of those who never fought? _Is this what war does tour souls? _

Bubblegum feels a slight disturbance in her peripheral vision as a flicker of white prances about the night sky above, at the same time, her eyes begin to scrutinize the faint haze of navy green puffing about the mouths of the sentries. Their smirks widened. And, they ran forward with weapons raised as the Lich's command over the archer had dragged its way into them.

Thick tussles of hair ravaged the Princess' face, a blow to her hand with soft, yet tough skin threw out the plank of wood and darkly lit colours of the rainbow shrouded the emptiness about her knees in the cold night air.

"Lady?" Bubblegum manages between the ruffles of red and yellow hair slithering about her mouth and neck. Lifting herself into proper position, she sits atop of the unicorn, patting the side of its face.

"Yes, Bubblegum. I saw you just in time, I fear what would have happened if-" A beat. "If I had not come in time." Lady Rainicorn takes a deep breath in, nuzzling into Bubblegum's touch – 'the unicorn's manner of hugging' as stated in the book of 'Lore and Mythical Creatures'.

"Thank you, Lady," the Princess offers.

Lady Rainicorn soars in dull shades of blue and green through the night sky – still conceived with the darkened clouds of the necromancer's sorcery. For even the pale, pure light of moon may render a form of 'life', that which keeps him away, that which weakens him and in turn, his minions. Amidst the patches of vermillion and grey spread throughout the valley, the Princess' eyes prowl in search of the vampire. Her eyes came upon smudges of running sentries, a spear repeatedly plunging into the chest of an undead soldier, even the whistling flow of arrows pelting the enemy back as they tried to surround the kingdom walls – but no Marceline.

The wind gushes against her cheeks much harder than when she herself was running moments ago and her hair decides to occasionally whip at her eyes. Reaching up, her hand resides on an empty tuft of flowing pink hair. Hair devoid of the ancient Candy Kingdom crown. Running lither fingers to push back what once her crown held in place, she searches the land below, until her stare is met with the lush darkened greenery of the forest at night.

"No! Lady! Turn around please, I must find Marceline!" Bubblegum commands, her tone edging close to fretfulness as she tugs on Lady's mane. "I have to find her".

Not wishing to question the actions and requests of her companion, the unicorn sets about moving in large turns as she swivels slowly to pass back from trees to flat, lower land. From safety into the pit of an endless bloodlust.

"Lower me now, Lady!"

The unicorns hazes her eyes and scowls. "Bubblegum, they are killing each other down there and you want me to let you off at the very same place?" She levitates mid-air a few feet off ground at the edge of the forestry – far enough from death to be safe but close enough to observe. The leaves of willow trees sag, the much taller ones tickling the floating hem of her long horse-like bodyas they sigh about in the still, humid air. Sighing and waving as if an applauding audience to the most entertaining spectacle, or even as the ancestors who watched war after war pass on by the much more animate beings. Lady no longer flies around, but instead she lets the Princess contemplate her words and what action was to be taken next. The monarch refuses to follow suit.

Unclenching her fingers from the tight hold on the purple and yellow bits of mane beneath her palms, the Princess pushes the soles of her feet to a side applying slight pressure to the unicorn's upper ribs and plummets downwards.


	42. Chapter 42

_**A/N:**__ Being stuck in a hospital for a very unpleasant number of days tends to allay one from posting new parts to fanfics. I hope you are all well and apologize for the long wait!_

_**Crimson Tree – Part XL**_

The skulking skeletal structure of the Lich begins to expand, his clavicles protruding in bold presses against the loose hood about his spine. His arms -or what is left of the skinless bone- reach out in acute angles about the air afore him, a familiar sheen of green crackles enveloping his collagen knuckles, flaring in deep streaks against the elbow long robe sleeves. The twin broaches of deep red on either side of the tattered cape at his chest, move in tremors as his ribs pull out and expand in magnitude. The two collide as bones and smears of flesh and blood push against each other and melt, mould and form a single red stone that sizzles and trickles oozing slime as it embeds itself into the Lich. The stone, moves slowly, past the opening between enlarged ribcages and settles to attaching itself to the front of his spine, making sure to leave lines of slime snaking about the ribs as they bend in on each other and allow a trail of the substance to travel about other bones.

Marceline bends her knees slightly, pulling back her axe and hunching her shoulders. Her hair, of its own grace, tumults about in what seem to be irate jerks.

"I will destroy you for good this time, Lich." Marceline hisses deeply, a loud screech thrown into the space between her and the enemy – a declaration of truth in words that need not be said. A low chuckle steadily gurgles from the Lich's throat, guttural in manner and sarcastic if tune were to be considered.

The axe wielder flings her weapon about in lucid movements, only accenting each blow with a slight push on impact, but enough that it shields out the incoming surges of electrical energy from the necromancer's bone-finger tips. Timing each block, with the attacks thrown at her she edges forward, her steps deeply rooted into the ground as she advances and keep her eyes steady on the target. Darkness plunges in with each step and all that seems to reflect any light at all, is the hazy green flashes and the vermillion red eyes from both beings.

_Skch!_The axe shivers to a side slightly before it is brought back into rigidity, a streak of venomous sorcery pitching past Marceline's spaulders singeing the metal with a cool spit as it burns a light bruise against the armour piece. Another grating sound graces the Lich's throat and the flaring current seems to strengthen in both colour and intensity, rebounding against the vampire's weapon and 'lighting up' the necromancer in a form of rotting flesh and bone glory.

Marceline ignore the sound, after all it was soon muffled by the ever-clashing sounds of metal on flesh behind her where an army still fought, where a battle still took place. Her eyes immediately trail to her feet, though, as a rather familiar device crumbles its way from beneath the ground –reaching out through mud and earth- to securely wrap its wrist about her ankles. Two shoddy humerus' protrude next as 3 pairs of arms grope at the armour at Marceline's shin and calf muscles. _Brought the toys out to play now, have we?_ Still edging forward, the sole of her left foot lifts up he metal haunches with spiked edges breaking through one of the arms, turning the foot completely to the left as difficult as the position is and as strenuous as it can get while fending off magical attacks, she pushes herself off the ground but a hop and thrashes the side of her left haunches into the undead structures. Much like dominos in a theoretical sense, the arms snap at each other and into two, but fall to the ground in heaps of rot only to be replaced by skulls with bits of teeth bared and snapping, squiggling out of the earth to 'finish the job'.

"Hunh!" Marceline grunts, her teeth cutting into her lips as they grit with the might she puts into another barrage of electric light.

Landing with her knees bent, the vampire crushes the skulls into puzzle pieces of debris and kicks off into the air, startling the Lich for a moment with her sudden change of field, she lifts back the axe before his next surge arrives. Pulling it fast above and behind her head, with both hands latched onto it she releases a loud roar as the weapon sails above her head yet again, below her chin and straight at the Lich. It does not spin for the force with which she throws the weapon imbues it with no will or gravitational law to do so, instead, the axe lunges forward with a forceful red power and plunges into the robe, then:left shoulder of the Lich.

His eyes, though soulless voids twitch and flicker a deep green as he tilts his jaw to a side and follows with his chin to where the axe remains caked in him. One of his hands reaches up and grasps about the horn like structure atop his head, the one that is broken or deformed, and he yanks his head back – as if to demonstrate a form of pain, maybe a form of defeat.

_Maybe I can kill him the same way and end it differently. _

The vampire separates her thoughts from reality, though, as a deep chuckle vibrates about her. She watches as the Lich brings back his head, reaches up to the unbroken horn and snaps it with ease off its base. _The first he snapped when we warred decades back. _She watches as the metal of axe scathes the ground with a light clang as it falls from the Lich's unharmed bones. Her glare only tenses, as a Lich of four times her size in height, width and power 'grows' in front of her. A deep set of worm habituated, yellowish teeth show up for the first time since her enemy approached, and the jaw which held them droops a little – the necromancer smiles. No skin is to change what open sets of teeth show off, as no lips of cheeks can droop to frowns. Only full teeth, bluntly showing at the a devil's "smile".

"Marceline," the Lich King rasps. "Foolish…. vampire".


	43. Chapter 43

_**A/N:**__ Yay for faster updates. _

_Self: thanks, I feel much better now. Oh, stop it you. (I reviewed myself to raise my self-esteem) _

_**Crimson Tree – Part XLI**_

The reigning darkness of the night sky skews the Land of Ooo with ominous, stretched shadows. Most encompass the Westward hills, a few crawl beneath castle walls, but all block out even the dull, fragile glow of moonlight. This form of murky clouding in the usually, if not dimly lit, night sky is not of normal origin.

The capability of your mistreatment towards others in your intentions, controls just what form and how much of light you may be exposed to as a magical being. Some beings such as humans are immune to such exposure restrictions, hence even if they are evil as the itch on your foot that is never satisfied with no amount of scratching – they can roam about regardless of light conditions. Beings such as werewolves are bound by physical and magical obligations to worship of the moon, and may walk about without being harmed as well. Vampires on the other hand, are not as fortunate and due to the actions of their ancestors as beings who often preyed on the blood of humans without consent, are damned by being held accountable for the done deeds by being unable to walk about in sunlight. Of course it is possible, but it would mean either the fatally threatening melting of skin or simply death. The Undead too, cannot walk about at daytime for their physical strengths as well, dead beings, are reduced and this may be very disagreeable with necromancers.

Hence, the Lich made sure to keep an ill-omened environment for his cronies to 'work' in.

The timber of the leg plates around Marceline's shins continuously bump against each other as she slowly backs away from the growing monstrosity that is the Lich. Suddenly, without foreseeable signs, a large femur thrashes across the space where Marceline last floated bringing with it a crackling bundle of deep green flames. The flame reaches not only the air but the ground as well – scorching with licking torture the remaining arms of undead that had managed to escape the ground upon being summoned.

Flashing his teeth yet again the necromancer, lashes out another arm, throwing with it chunks of flesh and blood engulfing all religiously in the glow of green that followed closely behind the gore entrails.

"Gah!" Marceline grunts, as the greenish fire skids past her armoured torso followed by a long, worn out femur bone. Gathering the energy and power at her fingers, the vampire swivels her body around, lifting it higher into the are brings a fist pummelling downwards. Her knuckles briefly make contact with the still moving bone, making the collagen crackle under her touch and splinter slightly, but the punch does not completely submerge as Marceline barrel-rolls to a side as a second fist of fire comes crashing through the air at her. Carefully regaining her balance, she quickly slips beneath the outthrust arms and forces her knee upwards, bringing out her thick gauntlet embedded foot and smashing it up into the aforementioned structures.

_KRSHCK! _As if eroding away, the bone crawls in on itself, splintering in most places and opening gaps where worms that had long made refuge within: fell out of. The sheer force of the kick pushes the enlarged arms away slightly, the Lich all at once grunting deeply in his rage as his arms unwillingly lurch upward.

But that is all that Marceline requires. That is what Marceline needs. An opening.

Lunging downwards, Marceline's arm reaches out, extending her fingers slowly as she speeds towards the ground at the necromancer's body. The familiar ethereal pull of her axe tingles about her fingers, and a shiver of anticipation shimmies about her spine as she closes in with the limited time of the Lich recovering from the attack he'd just received. Time was precious and a lost second was too much to risk. Not now. Not when her axe was not in her hands. Her fingers reach out, like pointed knives in the dim glow of magic surrounding the enemy, and she grips about the handle, her feet land downward with the pressure she used to propel through the air and using that she spins he body in impact with the ground, swinging her hand and in turn her reunited axe in one great motion straight for the Lich's robe adorned abdomen.

As the Lich's arms retract towards his outgrown body, the reunion of vampire and weapon does not go unnoticed and all at once, his gaze is turned upon the armoured lady and his scrutiny burns with venomous rage as swells of electricity begin to shovel about his hollow eye holes. The green fire builds up and letting out another deep guttural chuckle, he focuses his eyes onto one position. Onto one being. Power begins to pounce at the cage holding it back, but before the necromancer unleashes his ultimate attack upon the vampire, a high-pitched cacophony of sounds erupts from behind him.

"**Yalalalala!"**

The unmistakeable slash of a sword through air follows along with this strange display of what appears to be a battle cry or maybe even the native utterings at foreign weddings. Finn, hat still moping on one side of head, cuts through the Lich's robe with his sword as he continues to bellow his string of 'musical inspiration in war'. The Lich growls as the sharp, stiff metal though unable to cut through the strong, ancient bones of his ribs, ridiculously clanks about and around them in an attempt to slice at least something. The robe pulls further from its epitome on the skeletal structure, slowly pulling itself off as the sword entangled with its loose fabric.

Continuing to scream, Finn aimlessly wracked the sword about.

_You're creating a distraction. _

Marceline wastes no time smirking at the realization and brings the swing of her axe up a notch, changing its direction from straight forward to up, using her feet as an axel to push with and the tip of her blade: as the perfect strike began to unfold.

The red stone within the inner walls on the cave of ribs the Lich accommodated, was no longer flooded with oozing slime, not when the sharp edge of an axe bristles its way, cutting through ribs and smearing slime on its wielder along the way – as it clinked and sliced through. Fragments of the object shattered about and splintered in tiny reddish fragments into the air. A deep sense of dread lifted from the skies, as a fresh swathe of moonlight shone about the Valley of Candy Kingdom, and close by a colony of the Undead dropped to their feet while clawing and hacking at the Kingdom's soldiers.

The Lich's phylactery was destroyed.


	44. Chapter 44

_**A/N:**__ I've left you all hanging! The story is coming to an end soon = my updates will be much more regular. Enjoy ^^_

_**Crimson Tree Part XLII **_

Her feet pummel the ground in one swiped movement, bringing a painful click about her knees and an uncomfortable hum of sound within her ears as the sensation – painful since she'd just jumped a good 4 feet – tumbles about her body. Her head buzzes a while as her eyes focus and refocus onto their surroundings and the sudden whip of shivers trembling around her body, leaves her regretting the whole jump itself. Not one of the Princess' finest moments, but after all she'd just escaped a possessed archer on the back of a multi-coloured unicorn in search of her red-shade-eating vampire lover. Jumping off a creature much like a horse mid-air, seemed quite sane at the time. Especially, when the creature may have denied her the need to prowl the valley in search of Marceline.

She takes a step forward, hesitant in placing her foot down too hard for pain from any after-effects that had decided to stay behind to make sure she never attempted the idea ever again. And surely enough, the moment her sole presses lightly on the dark, crusted earth: a jolt fumbles at her ankle, travels up her knee and spirals past her spine. Quite obviously not the smartest experiment she'd attempted so far in her entire alchemic career.

A brush of purple hair past her eyes tells her that her companion thought of the same level of stupidity she'd taken part in.

"Bubblegum are you crazy? What if you'd broken something?" A hoof prods the Princess' foot forward in hopes of teaching her how to walk again. "You only need to ask, not jump off me like you've just sprouted wings!"

Sighing, Bubblegum rubs a firm hand across the unicorns mane. "I'm sorry Lady, I just need to find Marceline. I'm worried and the battle is now within our walls as well!"

Lady snorts, nudging her head into the Princess' petting. "On we go Bubblegum, but keep close to me the undead are prowling about from what I've seen and we shall need a speedy escape."

The princess immediately slides back onto Lady's back, grasping at the thick curling tones of her mane. The two carefully scan the area as they proceed, the familiar stench of rotting bones shimmying past their noses as the noxious smell of metal and blood pour in from other sides. They leave the forest edge with the protection of its ever-green trees behind, marching past an empty wasteland and finally coming to a footfall of bushes, eroding sand paths and slick, brown mud. The valley lay open before them on either side, a thick expanse of ink-like figures pressed about each other, being tackled to the ground, most splitting in two, the rest disappearing into smaller dots as hazes of red splashed about. But that was Lady had seen from a bird's eye view, or in this case, a unicorn's. Up close, when only a mere 15 feet away a soldier of the Candy Kingdom could be seen hacking at the remains of a corpse, the battle was far worse to the mind's eye as gore spurred into and out of vision as the fight ensued. A churn stopped half way within the belly of the princess, heaving about its contents in hesitation as her senses pricked up with the revolting reek of death in all its horror, invading her nostrils and the sight that met her eyes was better described in books than to be witnessed face on – for decapitated limbs and the insides of humans mashed about in oozing bits are to forever remain inconceivable to the normal human's stomach. So Princess Bubblegum belched. And then, she spewed the slightly empty remains of the fruits she'd ravished before rushing out to make sure to the safety of her people and kingdom. The insides of her belly made it even harder on her senses to calm down, or even attempt to adapt to the tragedy around her. A splash resounded beside her as a colourful eruption of pink, red, blue and green puddled onto the ground. Lady bent her head low, her hooves pounding in light thuds against the ground.

"Lady?" the princess whispers between the throbbing pain divulging so much, so suddenly out of her system, had left behind.

The unicorn ignores the colourful upheavals of her own stomach, straightening her long neck, she neighs softly, turning soft eyes to the young lady beside her and nudges with her head to the sky. Understanding the request, Bubblegum carefully drapes her legs over and onto the horse-like back as the slowly trudging steps of an undead soldier clamours forward. Hoarse moans slip from the undead being's mouth, echoing closer as it swings in random but strong blows. The dagger it grabbed from the last soldier its toothy mouth had bitten, waves about – emitting slow, _shing_sounds. Apparently the vomiting had been loud enough to hear as soon as the zombie had finished off with the soldier it fought, and now more was to be killed for his master's success. More blood to be drawn, more screams to rupture the war-stained air.

Just as soon as the two ladies begin to take off land and into the safety of the dark skies, they watch in muted awe as the being before them lowers, then, completely drops his weapon. Not a beat passes, as his whole body tumbles and crumples in two at the ground. Its bones snapping as they crunch against each other.

"Did it…. Just die?"

The contradictory statement of what is already dead dying yet again plays about in the less serious domains of the Princess' mind, but the question is all the more necessary since advancing it would be regrettable if an answer did not appear soon.

Lady takes a few paces forward, keeping her distance from the creature on the floor but giving herself the proximity to gently prod at its spine. The bone shivers for a bit, causing the unicorn to startle its passenger as it jumps back a little, but it becomes an unnecessary precaution when the spine quivers into a quickly disappearing dust cloud. And just like that, in a similar dusty manner, the undead begin to fall away from existence and life even more than they already were. Soldiers, both baffled and surprised at the sudden decline, continue to poke, disarm and even thump with their boots and haunches the skulls of the creatures. A passageway clears as the Candy Kingdom men help the wounded and trudge back to the castle for more help. A select few remain to search for their leader, Marceline, who had travelled further in the hillside direction upon sighting the Lich and the rest who were able to - stood guard just in case for during times of war, especially when reincarnation of dead beings was possible: reinforcements of the same or worse, was even more probable.

Ahead, from the left of the Kingdom a princess and her companion took to the lightening skies, letting themselves bask in the newly emerging glow of golden sun rays in the dark cushioning velvet of the fading night sky. At the foot of a hill, a young sentry feels the sides of his mouth bend down in a horror struck expression.


	45. Chapter 45

_A/N: the story cometh to an end my loyal readers. Hope you're all doing fine ;)_

_**Crimson Tree – Part XLIII**_

Marceline inwardly congratulates herself at the precision and power she'd invested in that final blow. It had been perfect, striking at the right moment and giving just enough impact that one could almost say the red stone had split into a myriad of equal pieces. Hopping backward, she swings the axe through the Lich's ribs, sandwiching the dark garment of his robe along with the crackling joints of his bones, as the skeletal structure begins to waver and falter.

Patches of fresh, new day's light begin to permeate the foggy skies far behind her, slowly but triumphantly illuminating the large, magical buildings of the Candy Kingdom. Soldiers wept for the most part, their companions lay slain before them after all, but a mirth did resound in their chests for the victory had not left their lives in vain. But still, how many friends, parents and siblings had been lost? What answers were they to give for those waiting in the palace walls? None knew, but birth of a defect often sprung from the perverted ideals of success. Losses would be faced, memorials built and a celebration even if, only amongst those willing to, be had. Life had to be lived from a new perspective, for sometimes change is the only thing we can see in the aftermath of a battle. Some bad, but most: good. If you win, that is.

Marceline felt the dreary chains that did not allow her to think of anything but the enemy in front of her, begin to loosen as things much more important drifted into the void of her thoughts. Though her concentration remained on the axe she was repeatedly bashing into the Lich's slowly reducing-in-size head, confidence grew with the hope of thoughts of sitting back and sucking on an apple or two. Her hits alternated in both: direction and side as well as target and swipe. The Lich's form had returned to its normal size – shouldering Marceline at the head. Part of that head was covered in dry blood, a few cuts had slithered onto her fingers and a thick gash was visible against her bluish skin through the ripped metal leggings of her thighs. From behind his figure, Finn the sentry hacked his own amount at the demon's robes exposing all its bones and allowing Marceline the kill - free of distracting bits of garb.

Marceline's eyes knot in confusion as she balls another strike against the chipped ribcage of the Lich, as a white plume of sooty-looking smoke fills the air around the Lich's skull. His horns deflate into the sockets on his forehead like a retreating victim and the foggy smoke crowds about his open mouth. The teeth crumple bit by bit, clinking against other bones as they fall to the earth and a stodgy, green haze filters out of the necromancer's jaws. The haze ascends, straggling along in a very slowed down creation of movement, till its course takes a different route and crashes with all force downwards. The vampire's eyes flare a simmering crimson as epiphany strikes home and Finn helplessly bounds forward in his endeavour to swipe away the haze of green as it enters the nostrils and mouth of the vampire queen.

_At last your body is finally mine. _The cold, shaking voice of Lich cuts at Marceline. Clinching and sending goose bumps through her armoured skin, but what makes the vampire feel the sudden caresses of fear are not that the body of Lich had crumpled before her feet and that she could still hear him, but the whole fact that the voice that had whispered into her ears, was not actually into her ears. For the voice had come from her own mind, and just like it had done with many others – from her own lips.

"Queen Marceline? What has happened?" Finn's desperate cries rain about in a distance that seems far off.

A darkness begins to swim through the light that had been recently acquired within her mind, a fog seeps into the barricaded walls of her thoughts and a black set of claws finger at the wall of her free will. Unconsciously her hand travels to the delve in-between her chest plate as she finds the irate fluttering of a headache quake her entire head. The claw grabs at the wall of her mind, beginning to pummel it with deep, powerful punches, shaking the foundation of her sanity and bringing an eruption of pain to her temples. Her eyes close shut as she strains against the bangs at her head, and her hand finally reaches a fleck of white in the covering grey of the chainmail at her breasts. Two claws appear and they shudder the wall from left to right as they beat the defences of everything that makes her Marceline and not a soulless creature. Her hand reaches the parchment and with all force she yanks it out and grips it tightly in her hand.

_Bonnibelle Bubblegum._

Her mind if it's possible to say, shudders as she utters each name out individually. The claws tense back a little as if hesitating their invasion of the Queen's mind, but continue their attack, this time fought on with a stronger wall of protection – their attacks weakened but persistent. What Marceline held was the worn-out parchment of the drawing made by Bubblegum. A fragment of the princess herself in a way, an object that kept the connection between the princess and the vampire: material. A possession of someone that cared for her. Something that held 'deep companionship' as Bethany the Ice Queen would put it.

It was proof of their love. For it was what strengthened the wall of Marceline's mind as the Lich's mind clawed at her conscious and tried to possess the vampire queen by sheer will power. A crackle ripples through her features and a hole blows itself in the middle of the wall, a myriad of sharp, dark claws reach through it and Marceline roars as loudly as she ever has.

She opens her eyes as a pitch black empty feeling fades into being and her entire soul seems to 'lose consciousness'. Her eyes weakly scan the frozen sentry with his sword bared in front of him, his fear plastered on his – for what was happening to his master? And there, behind him, the tear streaked face of Princess Bubblegum stared back at her. Her expression soft but pained, her light, bouncing pink hair messed about her shoulders and her gown torn in several places. But the longing in her eyes stood out the most, the defied need to see her lover again closeted about those light pink eyes. More tears seemed to roll past the soft features of the Princess as Marceline glared back, her face contorting into one of rage as patches of burning anger erupt about her skin. Dragging her head back Marceline howls out in pain as the claws grope at the source of her will and all at once she drops her axe and springs into the air_._

_The Lich had finally possessed the vampire queen._


	46. Chapter 46

_**A/N: **I'm sorry I'm so cheesy. I can't help that I like poetic stuff.  
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_**Crimson Tree – Part XLIV**_

Shock at its best moments, might be as strong as to play at the strings of your soul or even temporarily freeze movement in your body as you contemplate whatsoever has given you such a chilling realization. Finn felt somewhat shocked, maybe even scared, but all emotion drenched into a puddle and rained over his face as terror secluded his entirety into the one moment he would never forget. The vampire queen had thrown her body into the air with what was left of her free will power and physical control over her body, and lunged straight at him. The movement had been too quick for him to avoid, and the reason as to why she'd chosen to do so eluded him, till the point of his sword met with the a sickening squelch against armour, then flesh and sunk its way into the lower abdomen of Marceline.

_The vampire queen denied her powers of limitless life to the Lich._

Marceline let loose a low cry of pain than muffled into a wounded groan as the blade sunk deeper. Then, the feeling of being repeatedly stabbed in the back while someone punched her insides compelled her to bend into the crook of the space between her and Finn – the sword bursts out of her back, pushing against the armour with a soft echoing tinkle of falling rings of metal and shimmers in the light golden birth of dawn.

_She would die than let the Lich live on through her body._

"Agh! No!"

Finn drops the sword from his hands, blood quickly spreading onto the one that gripped the weapon and he bends down as the vampire falls to the ground in a roughly reverberating thud. Bloods roams the ground in thick bulging waves, the deep scent and texture pouring onto the dry earth below, encompassing it with the gradually darkening shade of red.

Another pained cry slips past the vampire's jaws as her eyebrows scrunch up and her eyes fly wide. She grimaces at the impact of landing sidewise, especially since the sword pushes slightly ever more into the skin at her stomach cutting in further, making her suffer what would have killed a normal beast by now - due to loss of blood and torturous ripping of skin. The bridge of her nose shadows and brings about a muted colour of crimson to her covered eye, its gaze fixed on only one being. Marceline's eyes bulge about their eyelids as tears take a lodging within them, her lips part lightly as she tries to summon the strength to speak but her throat is cripple and air seems not to flow easily as it is sucked in ragged pants. Her eyes stare deeply at the approaching figure of Princess Bubblegum, she does not notice the young lady running for, if she does the movement seems slowed down as she scrutinizes every inch of the princess. Trying to etch into her mind, her memory the vivid imagery of her princess coming towards her – whatever her state of clothing or pampering – the vampire tried desperately hard to remember Bubblegum's touch, the soft string of giggles that is her laugh, the light quirk of her lips in a smile – everything she couldn't hear or feel right now.

Her beloved kneels down in front of her, thick tresses of pink hair showering past drooped shouldersand whipping about as the lady's chest heaves in violent, jerky movements up and down. She sobs. Rivulets stream past her eyes, budding forward and flowing in a never-ending stream as the pain, the loss, the eminent death struck her again and again. Words wouldn't form in the usually sharp-witted Princess' mind, her mouth could not speak, her chest would only ache as the vampire never stopped the gaze. Nor the soft toothy smirk, accented although it was with bent eyebrows of anguish; a smile nonetheless.

"M-marce..," the princess finally manages, trying to control the shake in her voice and the light clench of her heart. "Marceline!" She repeats, calling her fallen vampire as she reaches out a shaking hand to lay her palm on the queen's face. Till her throat goes completely dry, near enough to cracking, and till her voice goes hoarse, she calls and repeats her lover's name. Maybe in hope of getting a reply, maybe that could undo the damage done by the sword, maybe time could be reversed. An impossible number of ideas flame through the Princess' mind, but they all end up being just the silent whispers she breaks into of 'Marceline' as every notion of the vampire being alive anytime soon – close away and fade into transparency.

The vampire queen struggles to move. The pleading voice of her lover seems to but tickle her ears, faint and unheard though she can easily guess what was being said. Moments later, she could no longer hear even that and only saw the soft, forced movements of those lips mouthing her name over and over. Little drips, of what can be called tears, shimmy in bright red from her eyes as her pupils change to a fuzzy shade of grey. The soft touch at her face only tightens as the drops paint a simple trail of fading red across the pinkish skin. Marceline grips the parchment in her hand, she had never let it go, eyes closed or not, strength drenched or not, soulless or gone from this world altogether. She forms what coherent thoughts she can before the closing lights of her world and the fading view of her beloved, signal her coming slumber:

_You once drew a portrait of me upon this parchment that I now hold. _

She feels the light press of lips against hers and hair tickling her cheek bones as a face leans in closer.

_And I now, too have done a painting of you and it shall forever hang in the walls of my heart._


	47. The Epilogue

_**A/N: **__Well, it's been one great run writing out part by part of this story and honestly, I never expected to get as many reviews or readers as I have and I am truly grateful to each every single one of you. I'd love to get to know all of as well. I hope all is well in your lives and that you've enjoyed the story :D_

_**Crimson Tree – The Epilogue**_

Princess Bubblegum shakes her head twice, strands of her hair swaying in and out of place as she feels little drips liquid slide from her tear ducts and across her face. A light throbbing begins at her temples, thumping in a coruscating pounding against her eyebrows and the valley of strained facial muscles beneath them.

_Poof! _Yet another smoke lamenting fizzle plunders the air, as fresh heaps of black soot begin to trace along the once white material of her lab coat. More smoke clouds at her eyes, and many more tears build up along the rims of the scrunched pupils of pink –now turning slightly red- that are her eyes.

Sighing, she frantically but rigidly places down a test tube from each hand onto the work top in front of her. Her hand takes but a second to quickly brush away hairs that seem to want to depict her as a madman covered in tears and sweat as they only increased in bundles as she continues to work that evening. Swiftly, she turns around and is met by the very familiar surroundings of her laboratory.

"I still can't understand why," she states, a little too loud for the room, as it echoes back a minute version of the same words.

Racks and racks of chemicals line the walls in front of her, left and right a variety of tables and beakers of every size and shape lined on top litter the area. To the right her trustee companion, Science the lab rat sniffs once, as he scurries about watching his gum princess slowly mouth words he cannot comprehend. To the left a group of diagrams lay discarded against a table, most flopping partially against a wall, followed by scrolls rolling over the floor and older dates not seen for a few months entitles over each parchment. The only thing that seems to be out of place for the "intelligent domains of a thinker in medieval times", are the muddy rocker boots that stick firm and tight onto the feet of a frowning vampire queen.

"Because," Marceline drags out the word a little, maybe to enervate the princess, or because she'd explained many times now that she herself was being enervated, "I am immortal".

The vampire carefully lifts another graph of incomprehensible drawings, carefully eying the princess from behind them – a little comical considering that the princess has her "battle stance" on yet again that day; her hands placed on her hips scrutinizing the cowering lady in front of her. Marceline slips out her own sigh, keeping the diagram back into her lap and watching with what must be a feeling of either affection at Bubblegum's insistent gaze, or annoyance, at the severity of the look. After all, when prim and proper is all sweat, tears, soot and a lab coat – Marceline was bound to give in.

"Like I said, the Lich was in my head and trying to control me," the vampire lazily throws out a hand, "but, remember that drawing of yours? Yeah, well that was a sign of our love". Marceline pauses a while, letting the princess awaken from her blush and allowing herself the time to think through what she was saying as she placed aside the parchment of alchemic writing in her hand. "Betty said so anyway".

Bubblegum takes silent steps forward, joining Marceline at her seat: on a table she had clearly told the vampire not to place her exterior upon. She prompts, "And then?"

"And then, that sign, allowed me to control myself, that's why I got myself stabbed on Finn's sword-"

The princess stifles a giggle. "He's still terrified you know?"

"Yeah, I scared him good! So, the getting stabbed in the heart thing killed the Lich," Marceline swerves her head to smirk at the princess, "not me". She playfully grasps a hold of the princess' hand, drawing idle patterns on the various patches of grey staining its gloved fingers. "I upset you really bad, huh?"

"Upset me? YOU DIED AND-"

"Looked like I died, Bonni," Marceline tuts as she corrects the princess.

Bubblegum glares at the vampire, her gloved fingers immediately seizing the long lithe fingers of the other lady and pressing on them tight, in her sudden outburst. "There were tears in your eyes and you weren't speaking, Marceline!"

"Well, sure princess I played hero getting stabbed, doesn't mean it didn't hurt like crazy!" Marceline looks back from the previously shocking force at her fingers to the eyes looking back at her. "Aww, Bonni. Don't cry! I didn't mean to fake die, really!"

Princess Bubblegum chokes back on most of her tears, wiping them away as quickly as possible. "I can't help it, Marce".

"No, don't, I'm here now and we're together and I-"

"No really, I can't help it Marceline," the princess notions with her fingers to the steaming test tube labelled A in front of them, bubbling out its contents and crashing smoke throughout the laboratory. She smirks as vampire begins to frown. Marceline hadn't noticed the black clouds around them, nor had she felt stinging wet eyes as they hadn't affected her at all. Vampires do have perks as usual.

"Now, let me get back to bringing back the dead candy people, we can chat in "romantic smoke" all we want later, Ms Vampire," Bubblegum meekly calls, making her way to her main work table.

Marceline smiles, grabbing another graph of enhanced-zombie potion and floating up above the princess. "Whatever, Bonnibelle. Just ask Peppermint to get me some apples".


End file.
